Transforming Your Mind
Today, we welcome Skip as this week's guest blogger."Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2
Today Pastor Henry introduced a new Sunday series called The Cross Culture. He began by showing a Youtube video of little black children choosing between playing with a white doll or a black doll. Almost all of the black children chose the white doll because it was "good." They did not choose the black doll because it was "bad." I found that shocking. Then we were shown pictures of men and women from various ethnic backgrounds and in various ethnic clothes and we were to form an opinion of that person based on their looks. That turned out to be revealing as well. How do we perceive others and on what basis?
The word transformed found in Romans 12 comes from the Greek word meaning "metamorphosis". The larva of a cocoon goes through the process of metamorphosis to become a butterfly. Romans 12 reveals that there is a process for believers in which we let the cross transform our minds. When our minds are transformed by the cross, by Jesus' death and resurrection, then our attitudes and actions are changed.
The Message reads, "Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."
Question: How has culture impacted your views and beliefs about other people?
Living most of my life surrounded by white, middle class people mostly of Dutch Reformed descent has influenced how I perceived people. I know there was racial bias. I was uncomfortable with people from other cultures and race, but as Philip Yancy writes "Grace happens." Through the transforming process of the cross I find myself seeing little difference between people who are after all created in the image of God.
Pastor Henry pointed out how little genetic difference there is between races of humans and how much more genetic difference there is among the Emperor Penguins. Ironic.
Labels: "Cross Culture"
posted by Jewels @ 4:57 PM
4 Comments:
Skip,
Thanks for writing this. It reminded me of how recently I heard a CRC pastor jokingly refer to Dutch as the "language of heaven". He was referring to the time in our history where they insisted that Dutch was the only language that could be spoken in church. Focus on the cross does transform minds!
What a lot of change in the CRC church. Uh, Jewels, there are a few more edits to fix... Sorry. Skip
Skip,
I found this article in the Press on Sunday when I got home after worship.
Here is the link:
http://www.mlive.com/elections/index.ssf/2008/09/blacks_whites_show_prejudices.html
This article highlights once again the need we all have for the transformation Paul talks about in Romans 12.
I found the discussion in the article about who "they" are interesting. We seem to know we have a problem and that transformation is needed. But taking responsibility for that transformation will prove to be elusive if we can't identify who "they" really is.
Although the setting of the story is in Detroit, I am sure a similar story could be written after walking some streets of Grand Rapids.
I went out to the garage to retrieve the Sunday article in the Press, "Blacks, whites talk of 'them.'" I felt sad to think how little race relations have changed with time. It made me wonder how many of us has had or has a good friend of another ethnic background. Perhaps then "them" would have a face and the transformational work of the cross could begin. I know many of us live in neighborhoods with a racial mix. Do we know "those" neighbors? I would invite anyone to volunteer at Coit school and find a child of another race to read to. Or come to Kids Life and begin to see the value of "their" life. Of course, it would only be a small start but don't we have to begin somewhere?
I would love to see MCC become a church of diversity in race and culture, a true reflection of Christ's church.
Skip
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