Change

Changing

I was looking up quotes and verses to post on my facebook for today and something led me to the book of James.  1:26-27

 

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

²⁶ If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. ²⁷ Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

This passage is fairly beautiful to me.  It’s convicting, very well stated, and has a lot of points to talk about and the one that I want to talk about particularly today is in the last verse.  James says that pure religion is to visit orphans and widows in times of need and to keep myself unstained from the world.  I keyed in on the last part. 

There’s other verses that talk about not being changed by the world, and while growing up, I had learned that that meant to not give into “worldly” desires.  The big ones like drugs, fornication, etc.  the big no no’s of our society that fall in line with Christianity.  But its more than that.  In James, there is a connection made between religion, helping people in need, and being unstained by the world.  I look at that, and I think, that doesn’t make any sense.  It doesn’t flow.  My religion is to help others in need and not do the big sins?  Can’t be just that.  That doesn’t fit. 

So I looked more and found Romans 12:2.  “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

So I began thinking, what if being ustained by the world meant being unaffected?  What if not letting the world change me meant not becoming jaded by all the evil and horror in the world.  Then it fits.  THEN it’s like a command to help others in need perhaps even though there are so many in need that its overwhelming.  Or maybe helps others in need as much as you can, even when they don’t want it.  Or just as simple as taking the time to care about that one homeless person that we may walk by on a daily basis like its NORMAL.  Like its ok.  Then, it fits.  

I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m jaded.  Sometimes I feel like I’m sick of the bad stuff of the world and I just want it all to stop.  I want to go to my house, shelter my kids, and make sure nothing happens to them.  I want to not help people that don’t help themselves.  My reaction to what happens in the world has made me selfish and untrusting.  And, to me, that’s worse than any of the big no no sins.  I’ve gotten to the point to where I don’t care anymore.  And that is directly against what my religion should be.  But I can change.

 

Buddha said that “All that we are is the result of what we have thought.” And “Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.”

Proverbs tells us in chapter 4, verse 23 “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Luke Tells us that “ The good man out of the good [a]treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil manout of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from [b]that which fills his heart.”

The fact that wise people spoke and/or wrote about it, makes me, again, think that it’s not easy to change or come to grips with and it’s very common problem to people.  So I started thinking “ok, it’s a common problem, they’re talking about it, therefore, I can change.”

I can change my thoughts.  I can change my heart.  Therapists have told me that if I practice enough, it will become reality.  The bible itself tells us what to focus on. 

 

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

 

I believe the bible and sayings are telling me to focus on what’s pure in the world.  Have an undefiled religion because I’m not jaded by the pain here, but uplifted by the strength that can be found if I look.  Search for the good and try to help those in need just as Jesus did.