Change Your Mind

Jesus’ first words recorded in the gospel of Mark are, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

Now the word repent can be kind of a scary word. It makes me think about street preachers. I remember going to the beach one Sunday when I was a kid seeing a group of angry people holding signs which read, “Turn or Burn! Repent!” Which made me think: if repent means that I have to be like you, angry and judgmental, I really want no part of it!

But Jesus says, “Repent.” And it does imply a turn. However, the actual Greek word that Mark used when he first wrote this is Metanoia – which literally means: change your mind. Meta: to change. Noia: thinking… Change your thinking.

Change your mind…

I remember my pastor Herb Meza teaching on this. He said Jesus was saying, “Get a new heart and a new mind for this new kingdom – a new mind for this new world that Jesus is ushering in.”

Change your mind… Change your perspective. Change your thinking… and your actions will follow…

All of this makes me think about the times my mind and heart have been changed, especially those times when my perspective has shifted more towards what I know to be true about God’s kingdom.

However, for all the times when my heart has been changed, there have been many other times when I’ve not wanted to change. I think about how so often stubborn pride keeps us stuck in old narratives…when wanting to be right has kept me from doing what is right; when wanting to be right kept me from building bridges to those who believe differently; when inconvenience or discomfort have kept me from jumping; times when I felt apathy even though I knew courage and action were called for…

Jesus says, “Repent.”

I hope… and actually truly believe that this is less about judgment and more an ongoing invitation. An invitation that when we follow it, brings us closer to him.

I hope I ever stay open to God changing my heart and mind. And I hope you do too.

Let us pray: Thank you, God, for your grace, mercy, and love. We offer you our hearts and minds again this day. Heal us, renew us, and transform us more and more into the image of your Son, in whose name we pray. Amen.