"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God." ... Romans 12:2

"But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance, against which there is no law." ... Galatians 5:22-23

The Cultivated Mind

The human mind is a universal entity shaped by the activity of every individual and affecting the lives of all. The vigorous mind of a charismatic leader has enormous impact on the thoughts of others, as does the quiet and simple mind lived out of a center of kindness and tranquility. Likewise, the mind that mirrors Christ has marvelous transforming power.

As Christians, we are commissioned to model our thoughts and feelings after the mind of the Master, yet how shall we achieve such clarity, confidence, and equanimity in a world apparently headed for disaster? Not easily. For it seems as if we are continually bombarded with the same distressing stories of war, terrorism, human atrocities, horrific accidents, and natural catastrophes, day after day. The news is generally not fit for children, and for adults the daily onslaught can be overwhelming and discouraging beyond measure. Denying the truth or hiding from reality do not seem to be prudent responses, however, since ignorance of the problems is no path to their resolution. Instead, let us cultivate a right attitude and judgment toward what has transpired: break out of our habitual thought patterns and consciously direct them to conform to the mind of Christ.

What, then, are the elements of right thinking, and what changes in our thought patterns are needed in the face of such devastation? Justice asks us to place events in the context of the time and place in which they occur, assess how factually and fairly they are being presented, and seek to understand them from the perspectives of all participants. Peace requires us to abandon the luxury of automatically taking sides, perceiving events in black and white, or insisting on solutions that favor our own nationality, political preferences, economic well-being, ethnicity, religion or culture. Faith challenges us to remain hopeful and confident in the forces for good that exist in this world and not to take the easy path of fatalism, in which we simply declare the conflict so intractable as to render all solutions unattainable and thereby absolve ourselves of any obligation to act. Humility obliges us to acknowledge that we too might just as well have been central players in the drama, had our resources, life experiences, or situations been the same; and that only by fortune and not by our innate goodness have we been spared. Moderation calls for us to remember that for every calamity, there is a blessing somewhere, and for every tragedy, some triumph. These stories of grace and courage under fire shine like the stars, yet they often just sit there quietly behind the flashy headlines. Joy, a mental attribute that almost seems absurd and even heartless under the circumstances, nevertheless invites us to celebrate such instances of heroism and humanity, for they offer nourishment and reassurance in menacing times. Compassion compels us to respond in some helpful way: through our prayers, our empathy, our offer of confession or forgiveness, our material assistance, and our support in finding answers that will help rectify the wrongs and mitigate the anger and pain felt on all sides. And finally, patience expects us to continue doing all we can, for as long as needed, no matter how many difficulties we encounter.