Monday Morning Memo: Thinking Like Jesus

If you live in Indiana, you know that we just had a picture perfect weekend.  We actually got to experience the sun and warmth all in the same day…without high winds.  It was so needed; at least for me.  I find that my energy level is higher, my mood is much cheerier, and my outlook on life is so much more positive when the weather cooperates!

I’m smart enough to know and I’ve been a Christian long enough to know that it shouldn’t be that way.  It shouldn’t take flawless weather to make me a nicer, more productive person.  I should behave as Christ would whether the sun is shining or we are getting a blizzard.  But I don’t always live up to what I know to be true.

The problem is that I don’t always think like Jesus.  It’s not that I don’t know how He would respond in different situations because I do…I just choose to respond my way.  Someone doesn’t treat me like I think I should be treated…and I can be quick to respond in a hurt way instead of answering with love.  I see someone who doesn’t look like I think they should look…and I can be quick to judge without ever finding out their “story”.  I can hear of blessings that someone else has received…and I can sometimes ooze jealousy instead of rejoicing with those who rejoice. 

Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m alone.  At different times in my life I’ve heard stories about people not getting along with friends or family members.  I remember asking a woman once if she had any siblings and her face turned to stone.  She proceeded to tell me that she had one sister but they hadn’t spoken in years, all because of a very small misunderstanding.  Years had been lost because neither of them was willing to think like Jesus. 

I’ve seen long lasting friendships disintegrate because of words spoken in haste.  Instead of making the effort to hear each other out and making the choice to forgive and show love…a wedge has been driven into the relationship and neither person has been willing to act like Jesus.

The saddest thing is that many of these people I have come in contact with were Christians…just like me.  All of us know how Jesus would act and react, but at times each of us has chosen to respond our way instead of His.  It all comes down to whether we are willing to follow Christ’s lead and allow Him to mold us and shape us so that our thoughts are the same as His.

I believe I’m going to make this my prayer this week.  It won’t be a long speech with flowery language…it will just be these simple words, 

“Mold me, shape me, 

until I think like you Lord.”  

Would anyone like to join me?  I just have a sneaky suspicion that He will enjoy hearing our short prayer and will be very happy to answer it.

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world,

but let God transform you into a new person

by changing the way you think.

Then you will learn to know God’s will for you,

which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Romans 12:2