Thinkin' Problem

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect”—Saint Paul

Several years ago Country music singer David Ball had a big hit entitled, “Thinkin’ Problem.” It’s a clever song with the usual Country & Western theme of love gone awry. Is it possible that we Christians have a thinkin’ problem too?

2017 has arrived on scene and finds us thinking we can solve the world’s problems by using the same  old thinking strategies we’ve always used. But have you noticed that very little ever changes? 

Albert Einstein once quipped: 

“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

This is called insanity.

Franciscan Richard Rohr offers a piercing critique of American Christianity as part of his New Year’s message to his readers. Writes Rohr:

“Our religion is not working well. Another year has ended—a new year begins—in which suffering, fear, violence, injustice, greed, and meaninglessness still abound. This is not even close to the reign of God that Jesus taught. And we must be frank: in their behavior and impact upon the world, Christians are not much different than other people.

The majority of Christians are not highly transformed people, but tend to reflect their own culture more than they operate as any kind of leaven within it. I speak especially of American Christians, because I am one. But if you are from another country, look at the Christians where you live and see if the same is true there.”

A friend of mine once mused:“If all Christians in America disappeared no one would ever notice.” I don’t agree but it is frightening to consider the possibility that he may be right. If all Christians thought as the world thinks wouldn't they be indistinguishably invisible?

It seems that a large swath of American Christianity has not listened to Saint Paul’s advice and has conformed its thinking to the ways of this world. I must include myself in this critique. It is really hard to admit but so necessary if one hopes to be transformed in the way one thinks.  

The ways we have been thinking about issues such as politics, poverty, crime, suffering, violence, war, militarism, and racism have done far too little in solving the problems they all seem to create? 

Perhaps is it high time for American Christians to write a bill of divorcement to the world’s preferred way of thinking.

Saint Paul said it quite clearly and without apology:

 “Be transformed by the renewing of your minds” which is precisely Rohr's point: “The majority of Christians are not highly transformed people.”

We are not transformed people simply because we have not allowed the love of God to change the way we think about life.

The central core value that will transform our thinking is our love of God and neighbor. Jesus called this the "Great Commandment." When our thinking is saturated with God’s love we will then experience a transformation of our minds. Love is the prerequisite for transformed thinking.

Only the love of God can truly transform the way we think. It certainly transformed the Apostle Paul from a brutal persecutor of Christians to a champion of the Way. But before that happened the love of Christ had to infiltrate his mind and heart. 

It sounds so simple, doesn’t it? Well, it isn’t simple but certainly available to us all.

If enough of us resolve to allow the Spirit of God to transform our thinking it would transform our society in ways none of us could ever imagine. 

The love of God and neighbor is energy enough to transform the way we think about life. 

The alternative of course is to keep thinking in the same old habitual ways while expecting different results. 

Perhaps this is insanity.