Is your MIND wearing MAKE-UP? Let this mind be in you which was always in Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:5 Elder Johnnie Mae Smith passed away a few years ago, but this woman was notorious for preaching about the mind of Christ. On any given Sunday, you would hear her shout “You’ve got to make up in your mind that you want to be free, and you will be free. You’ve got to make up in your mind that you will serve the Lord, and you will serve the Lord.” It didn’t matter what the subject of the sermon was, somehow, she would connect it to “making up your mind” to do this or to do that. O.K. Fast forward. New scene. My wife. I love her with all of me. But the truth is, she is a slow poke. She’s not a morning person, but I am; so getting dressed in our house is a comedy. On Sunday mornings, I rise before her, shower, iron clothes, and get dressed in all of thirty minutes. Ana is usually buried beneath the covers and dreaming of a white Christmas while I’m fully dressed, checking email, and tapping my foot hoping she will move quicker next Sunday. I am writing this devotional right now as I sit on the couch. I’m waiting as patiently as an impatient man can wait. Ana gets up. Slowly. Ana walks into the bathroom. Slowly. Ana picks out her outfit. Ana walks back into the bathroom. Ana gets dressed, and picks out her accessories. Three more rounds of this, and I’ve had enough. I don’t like getting to church late. Speak Shaun. No! Just Breathe. “Babe, we have 15 minutes!” Twenty-five minutes later. “Babe, 5 minutes.” She walks out and says, “2 more minutes. I have to put on my make up.” Make-up?!? What does she need make-up for? We’re late. Breathe Shaun. I peek into the bathroom to observe how my wife puts on her make up, and as crazy as it sounds, the Lord begins to speak. With the tenderest care, she applies one product after another as if there is a Step 1-Step 2 science to it. First she cleanses her face, then she applies the foundation, etc. When she exits the bathroom, she looks like she is ready to walk down the aisle all over again. God has a way of making two unrelated moments mesh into one beautiful revelation. As I watched my wife and thought about Sister Smith’s teaching on the mind, I realized the importance of literally, making up one’s mind. It’s the only way we can truly think like Jesus. We have to take the time to apply various elements of spiritual beautification to our mind. Before, I assumed that if I made a decision to do right, God would honor it and I would live happily ever after. But after years of breaking my own promises, I figured out that I was doing something wrong. There must be more to it than making a decision. But what was it? How do I renew my mind, really? It wasn’t until I saw my wife put on the make-up, that God revealed the answer. Renewing the mind is a daily process. The same way that make-up only lasts for the day it is applied, we can’t put on holy thoughts on Sunday and expect them to keep us on Wednesday. Every day, we must dip ourselves in the Word of God. Philippians 4:8 says, “whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report…think on these things.” Each item in this verse is a product in the cosmetic bag of faith. In order to keep our mind in perfect peace, we must apply these thoughts daily. Our minds need make-up. We can’t just rely on our “natural looks.” We need God to keep our minds pure. We must rinse in the Word and cleanse through prayer. Most literally, we must make-up our minds, or else, we will attract the wrong kind of attention. Ibwypu Bible Way
Posted on: Thu, 26 Sep 2013 12:07:22 +0000
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