I am an 80's baby. Things looked different back then, in so many ways. "Christianity" is not something that seems to be exempt from the influence of culture and let me tell you 80's Christians were something else. Protests and denial of ones self. Cults and battles between the different sects of the religion made it difficult to actually hear Jesus at all!
Many things were very black and white. It seemed that you were either raised very "worldly" or you didn't even get to have a TV in your house. There was no in between. Rock n' Roll was of the devil, who by the way just so happened to be Papa Smurf. Mega-churches were the newest form of "communities", as if gathering more people in one place made it somehow better? We had NO time to think of other religions or ANYTHING they were a part of. The word "meditation" was a bad word, which i never fully understood as we are told to meditate on the word of God day and night. (Joshua 1:8)
Of course as it is with all things, there is some amazing things that happened. There was passion, strength. There was a voice given that perhaps wasn't there before, regretfully without much room to left for listening. Awe listening.
Do any of you do the "word of the year"? A few years back my good friend, and forever lunch date Sarah introduced me to the concept of having a "word of the year". The intent is for your "word" to replace the idea of a new years resolution. Rather than set goals, generally the same ones every year, that too often are forgotten by February, we select a word that we want to focus on for the year. I could go one and on about this, but I will save that for another time.
I tell you this, because there are words that stick with me for well over a year. My life word for example if trust. Again, that is another thought for another time. For now I want to focus on that one word from before. The quiet word. One of the most difficult words for many for it is not just a word but an action. A lifestyle even, that has to be surrendered to. A word that requires self-control and empathy. You know the word I'm talk about? Listen. Yes, listen. Such a BIG word and an even bigger action.
I could probably write a book about this one word, but I want to focus in on one aspect of it. The aspect of making room to listen and more specifically room to discern WHAT we should listen to. . We have so many things coming at us all of the time. Trying to listen to all of these things could drive a person mad.
The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to "take each thought captive". Each thought? That 's exhausting just to think of, but what if we could make room. What if we could train our minds to slow down to even take SOME of our thoughts captive? How do we do this?
As an educator I have the privilege of being at the front line of molding minds. As a Christian I also have the privilege of watching God transform others and myself on a regular basis. It is amazing to watch how people become more and more aware of the amazing gifts God has given us. He doesn't ask us to do something that is impossible. He wouldn't advice us to take our thoughts captive, just so that we try and fail. He gave us minds to mold and grace to move in the process of doing so.
"Growth mindset" is a bring term used in education that refers to this. Another word, that so many have feared for so long...meditation. Yes we need to meditate. Better yet we need to be MINDFUL of what we are meditating on. Are we meditating on the truth of who Christ is and what our identity is in Him? Are we meditating on the fact that if He has called us to do something NOTHING can stop us? Are we meditating on a culture of honor towards others as a way of bring glory to our God and good to those around us?
I hope we are. I hope we are being mindful of our words, how we spend our time, our reactions to the things around us, the interactions we have with our communities. Mindful of the rest of the world and what life may be like for them, not just what living our best life, in a sense that we are comfortable. Be mindful my friends!
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