Being a Christian means that my view of the world is seen through a unique set of lens. Instead of a mechanistic, fatalistic or humanistic perspective, this world takes on a different hue because my mind has been transformed by the power of God’s Spirit and the power of my risen Lord.
Interestingly, in his letter to the church at Philippi, the apostle Paul uses a distinct word which can be translated as “mindset” or “focus” or “how one thinks about something.” Ten (10) times Paul uses it in this short letter to his Christian brothers and sisters.
Perhaps this is not by accident, since Paul himself is in prison. We have seen this before in Paul’s life. Remember in the book of Acts where he and Silas were in prison and they sang songs? Instead of playing the “poor-pitiful-me” card, Paul and Silas praised God that they had been counted worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus. This unique mindset let to the conversion of the Philippian jailor.
Perhaps no one in the early church is more qualified to tell us how to see the world through Christian lens, or approach things from a Christian mindset than Paul. His own resume of suffering for the cause of Christ is lengthy. It certainly lends credibility to his comments on how Christians are to think in circumstances less than ideal.
Listen to Paul’s first reference in Philippians:
“It is right for me to feel (think about, have this mindset) about all of you, since I have you in my heart”(l:7).
What frames Paul’s view of his readers? What contributes to the wonderful way in which he sees them?
1. He is confident that God who began a good work in them will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
2. He has them in his heart; he loves them deeply and continues to lay his life on the line for them.
3. All of them shared in God’s grace with him.
Think of how powerful these aspects of the Christian mindset can be in our life! Confident of God’s work in others! Loving others from our heart deeply! Sharing in the outpouring of God’s in each other’s lives! I cannot think of a better way to view life. I cannot think of a better mindset to have! Can you?
In Christian love, Curtis
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