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Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (ESV)
Paul writes in Colossians 3 that we should set our minds on things that are above and not on earthly things. This seems like a great idea, but it’s easier said than done. It’s hard not to be mentally consumed by what we see on social media. It’s hard not to dwell on what we wish was different. It’s hard not to ruminate on things that are unfair. In other words, it's really, really easy to set our minds on earthly things. But where our mind is set, our behaviors follow. Paul continues on in this passage about putting off the old self and putting on the new self. He shares clear examples of behaviors that would fall into either category. The old self looks like sexual immorality, obscene talk, lying, etc. The new self looks like kindness, patience, forgiveness, etc. Now, Paul is not merely trying to convince us to just have external behavior modification. Much deeper, it’s a matter of what our hearts and minds are set to. Paul writes that the new self is being “renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” The more we orient our mind to growing in knowledge about God through reading and studying His Word, the more our old self sheds away. So let’s consider together: How does knowing Jesus change the way we approach a current family conflict? How does knowing Jesus change the way we approach unfair circumstances at our work? Injustice we see in the news cycle? The profiles we follow and engage with on Instagram? Our private conversations and public declarations? To reflect Jesus in these areas, we must know Him, the One we are reflecting. Our behaviors follow what we set our mind to. Lord, please renew my mind that I may set it on Your things above. Please guide my decisions, words, and behaviors to reflect you.
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