DESIRE RENEWAL OVER CHANGE

October is known for a few things, here are some to think about: the transition from the summer heat to the crisp and cooler air of Fall, the change of color on the trees, the pumpkin in the front porches of many homes, the pumpkin spice lattes at your local coffee store and the life size figures of skeletons and ghosts on the front lawns of homes in preparation to celebrate Halloween (All Hallows Eve). To sum it up, October is known for change.

Keeping with this theme of change, the Apostle Paul urges us not to just be changed but to be transformed. In Romans 12:1-2, he writes, I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, on the basis of God’s mercy, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to reasonable act of worship. 2 Do not be CONFORMED to this age, but be TRANSFORMED by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. Two words stand out for me as I read this passage, and I have uppercased them for our reflection as we begin October.

This is how Oxford English dictionary defines conform: (of a person) behave according to socially
acceptable conventions or standards; to be similar in form or type. Being conformed is not necessarily a
bad thing because we need it especially when following safety laws. Excessive conforming to the practices
without critical thinking can suppress individuality, lead to groupthink and poor decision-making. To be
conformed to the standards is the easy way out of living our lives and to stand out is often difficult. When we or our children “stand out” in the crowd, we are often ridiculed, called by all sorts of names and so to avoid embarrassment we quickly conform to the standards and conventions. The Apostle will say to us that conforming is not the way of the Kingdom of God.

The word transformed, on the other hand, has its roots in the word metamorphosis. The
transformation of a caterpillar into the butterfly is the type of transformation that the Apostle is talking
about. The same word is used in Greek when Jesus transfigures before his disciples on the mountain top –
his whole form changed. A career change, giving up a habit, moving to another country and overcoming
deep seated fears are some examples of transformations that can occur in our life but the Apostle is
calling us for a deep-seated change in the way we live our Christian life.

And so, the Apostle Paul urges the church in Rome not to conform to the patterns of the world around
them but to be transformed in their mind. As one scholar points out that the transformation of the mind
must be the starting point since it affects all areas of our lives. The change in brain activity can lead to
change in every area of our lives. In his letter to the church in Philippi, he will encourage the believers to
have the “same mind” that was in Christ Jesus. Transformation, for the Apostle, must be a mind activity, which then leads to a change in our ethical behavior.

This is what I want to offer you as you start a new month, do not let the transformation of your mind
or non-conformation to the ways of the world be a REQUIREMENT as if it is needed to be accepted by
God instead may it be a RESPONSE to what God has already accomplished for us in Christ Jesus. Go back
to the verse and look at what the Apostle says, on the basis of God’s mercy, offer your lives as a living
sacrifice and be transformed. God has acted first and so in gratitude offer your lives as a living sacrifice.
God in Christ has accepted you unconditionally and invites you to live a worshipful life that glorifies God
in all that you do. Live joyfully, live gratefully, and live with humility seeking God’s help daily that honors
Him. May you be encouraged to embrace the transformation that God offers as you
journey through the month of October.

In HIS care,