Having the Mind of Christ
Beloved People of God,
We live in a world of emojis. Somewhere along the way, we took the simple, yellow smiley face of the 1970s and turned a few well-drawn lines into an entire hieroglyphic language! What can’t that little face do?! One of my favorites is being mind blown. It expresses so much. It depicts shock and surprise. It symbolizes the sheer intensity of a moment. Best of all, it perfectly captures what it feels like to have our minds blown. It’s like a lightbulb moment times ten! It’s the discovery of fire. It’s a completely new way of seeing and understanding.
The book of Psalms is 🤯. It captures so well the complexity of life. Sometimes we roll through life, and praise pours easily from our lips. Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann called the songs we sing in seasons like this psalms of orientation. But then, the rug gets pulled out from under our feet. Try as we might, the direction we thought our life was heading isn't even on the map anymore. In those painful seasons, we sing psalms of disorientation. Our pillows are stained with tears as we struggle to feel God embracing us in the grace of lament. Yet, in ways we never thought possible during the dark night of the soul, we eventually find ourselves singing psalms of new orientation. It’s only when we look back that we truly 🤯.
The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians is a beautiful symphony, blending notes and chords we’d never expect to hear together. Reading this short letter can be mind-blowing (if we truly listen) because Paul believed it was not only possible but essential that we have the mind of Christ. Speaking from his own imprisoned life, Paul spoke to his beloved brothers and sisters of things only possible when we have the mind of Christ: contentment in suffering, unity in disagreement, eternal freedom and joy while bound in earthly chains.
In this world of emojis and emotions, Paul encourages us to stand firm in Christ. Friend, my prayer today is that we would look back at this reflection on Philippians and marvel at how having the mind of Christ reorients our thinking and our lives. May we rejoice in how Jesus shapes our thoughts and His Spirit empowers us to live.
For Christ the King,
Brett