Do not be conformed to this world. But be transformed by the renewing of your mind. [Romans 12:1]
The well-known paraphrase of this by J.B. Phillips is quite poignant: “Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mold.”
That is a real challenge for us who love our smartphones and all the toys and the narcissism of our culture. We all like to fit in… And to be conformed is so natural, subtle… Like the odorless gas leak.
There is a mold, you know? And like the plastic shapes our kids play with at the beach or use with their Play-Doh, it is quite easy to adopt the shape and mimic the tone and priorities and opinions of the popular forms around us.
The anecdote? “The renewing of your mind.” To be different, I must think differently. So here’s a question: What primarily informs your thinking and worldview?
Several entries below may highlight the various molds.
This is Phillips’ rendering of the entire Romans 12:1–2 passage: “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God remold your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves toward the goal of true maturity.”
For your reading accompaniment: A sweet, melancholy piece by Billy Joel who recently cancelled his tour as he’s been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a serious brain condition that affects hearing, vision, and balance.
Those not-so-smart phones
A recent study demonstrates that excessive smartphone screen time is making teens very anxious. 580 U.S. and Canadian teenagers who spent more than two hours a day on their phone screens were twice as likely to experience clinically elevated anxiety and four times as likely to face emotional and behavioral issues. The report found that smartphone overuse, especially scrolling on social media, is a key factor in high teenage anxiety.
And again, concerning those pesky iPhones: It is suggested that they are a major driver in lowered birthrates! Huh? The title of this podcast was too good not to engage with: “How the iPhone Drove Men and Women Apart.”
Pluralism—a necessary evil or inherent good?
For some, pluralism is synonymous to relativism and compromise. For others, it is a sweet fruit of freedom and non-uniformity.
Personally, I appreciate pluralism and its necessary companion: respect. Though it may be incorrectly embraced as a denial of absolutes, pluralism is actually a good and necessary American and Christian value.
Christian, you say? Indeed. That grace is the Christian’s only claim to hope and spiritual life should erase any sense of self-righteousness or prideful claims on “rightness.” A grace-indebted person ought to be a champion of pluralism and civility.
A very thoughtful (and heady) book on the topic is this one from Miroslav Volf: Exclusion and Embrace, Revised and Updated: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation.
This is a podcast led by Dr. Darrel Bock, a former professor of mine at Dallas Seminary. He and his “friends” talk about how the American Church is coping with pluralism. Here is Bock introducing the topic: “The simple definition [of pluralism] is the presence of two or more groups that coexist. So, you’ve got plural entities that are functioning side by side that are sharing space. A slightly more technical definition would be a state of society in which members of diverse ethnic, racial, religious, or social groups maintain and develop their traditional culture or special interest within the confines of a common civilization. And so, what I like to tell people: it’s the difference between culture and cultures.”
Mark your calendars…
Our worship pastor reminded us that we are in the midst of two significant “days” on the Church calendar. Sunday, June 1 was Ascension Sunday. And this coming Sunday, June 8, is Pentecost Sunday.
Now, as I am part of neither a liturgical Church nor a Pentecostal Church, those two important days can slide right past me. But they shouldn’t.
Pentecost is a reminder of God’s love and plan for the entire world. That Christ’s first followers were miraculously proclaiming the Good News in languages foreign to them but not to their listeners shows God’s intention for all people of the world to hear about Jesus. Christianity is nothing if not a global, international faith. (Read Acts 2 to get the whole story.)
“Jesus ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father…” So says our ancient creeds. Returning to heaven enabled Jesus to send the Holy Spirit to his Church and to have the Father’s ear as he intercedes for us. Our Lord is not only our suffering, risen Savior, he is also our ascended advocate, continually praying for us.
Here’s a clear and brief description the Ascension and its implications for us.
On the other hand, Philip Yancey offers an interesting angle as he wonders out loud of how things would be different if Jesus had not ascended but remained here with his people to literally deal with our earthly dilemmas:
“I have concluded that the Ascension represents my greatest struggle of faith—not whether it happened, but why. It challenges me more than the problem of pain, more than the difficulty of harmonizing science and the Bible, more than belief in the Resurrection and other miracles. It seems odd to admit such a notion—I have never read a book or article conceived to answer doubts about the Ascension—yet for me what has happened since Jesus’ departure strikes at the core of my faith. Would it not have been better if the Ascension had never happened? If Jesus had stayed on earth, he could answer our questions, solve our doubts, mediate our disputes of doctrine and policy. . .” (from Vanishing Grace: Bringing Good News to a Deeply Divided World)
And then Yancey (one of my favorite writers, btw) ends with this puzzling question: “Why did Jesus turn over his holy mission to the likes of us?”
WCRF…signing off
For many in northeast Ohio, WCRF was a radio source of biblical teaching and warm local programming. Say the names “Bob Devine” or “Brian and Janelle,” and you’ll get a smile from many. For quite a few years, our program Word on the Street was part of WCRF’s lineup. And being a local pastor, they had me on the air during many a fund drive.
The local programming and operations of WCRF will be no more. Moody Bible Institute announced a major realignment of its ministries in preparation for Fiscal Year 2025–2026, including the radio ministries. And local stations like WCRF in Cleveland will be void of programming. Karl and Crew out of Chicago are replacing Brian and his mic partners. MBI President Dr. Mark Jobe said, “This is one of the hardest decisions we have had to make as we seek to steward well the resources the Lord has entrusted to us.”
Maybe Indy really was that good!
And not just the Cavs choking in the playoffs again.
The Indiana Pacers beat the New York Knicks and will now play the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA finals starting Thursday night. If the Pacers win, it will be their first NBA championship ever as a franchise. Somehow, it doesn’t feel like a consolation that my team lost to the potential champions.
They said it…
“At least for a moment we all saw, I think, that the danger of pluralism is that it becomes factionalism, and that if factions grind their separate axes too vociferously, something mutual, precious, and human is in danger of being drowned out and lost.” [Frederick Buechner, author/pastor]
“The only way to quit aping the system of thought that surrounds us is by a renewed thought pattern within.” [Chuck Swindoll, pastor/author]
“Unaware that our culture has subverted our faith, we lose a place from which to judge our own culture.” [Miroslav Volf, Croation theologian]
“The American church has a serious problem because we are not producing people who act like Jesus.” [Dr. Rose Allison Barr, Professor of History at Baylor University]
“Eternal Word, only begotten Son of God,
Teach me true generosity,
Teach me to serve you as you deserve,
To give without counting the cost,
To fight heedless of wounds,
To labor without seeking rest,
To sacrifice myself without thought of any reward,
Save the knowledge that I have done your will.
Amen.”
[Ignatian Prayer]
