BitterSweetLife

Read the next several sentences before you discount this one as madness: Having the mind of God might be slightly like having the mind of the guy I just passed on the street.

Or, for that matter, like having Lindsay’s mind. Or our next door neighbor’s. Not that this would be all that helpful. If mental taps could be conducted quickly and easily, we would all find ourselves with an even bigger load of orphaned information.

What am I saying? Well, knowledge leads to ability—but knowledge is not actual ability, per say. Intelligence leads to aptitude, but the reflexes must still be trained. Technique must be fleshed out.

For example, anyone who found themselves in possession of my mind would discover they grasped, technically, how to shoot a high-percentage jump shot with excellent backspin (it’s all about follow-through). But they would still have to spend hours on the blacktop in order to add the fade-away J to their game.

Likewise, someone who tapped Lindsay’s mind would gain an instant understanding of proper vocal technique. But would they instantly possess her mad singing ability? Not likely.

In a similar way, I think, the mind of Christ, which is handed down to his followers (1 Corinthians 2:16), is something we grow into. Tactical knowledge can only take us so far—the real change appears through discipline and practice: prayer, immersion in the Bible, active service, accountability, etc., all empowered by God. We work hard in order to become like Christ, and exploit the gift he’s given us. Slowly, a basic understanding of Jesus’ heart expands into an embodiment of it.

People go to amazing lengths in order to improve their tennis games. We spend our weekends frivolously on golf and gourmet cookery—but we think that knowing God should be a snap—easier than scrap-booking or staying up with fads.

In reality, getting the mind of Christ is Christianity 101. The rest of life is required for incarnation—and thus, for graduation.