World Patterns versus Word Patterns

UV 1166-10,000 World Patterns versus Word Patterns
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God

Romans 12 v 2

The words “paradigm shift” is much bandied about in modern day conversation but its origin can be traced to this uni-verse. A paradigm is a pattern. Scripture asks us not to conform to the patterns of this world but to have transformed patterns of thought, speech, actions and reactions. Our thought pattern, emotion pattern and decision and desire patterns are yielded to God. Our once darkened minds are renewed by hearing the Word of God. Our perspectives are transformed. We no longer see our purpose in life is just to satisfy our own desires. We are not to ask like the rest of the world, “ what is in it for me?” Instead, we are to ask, “ In what way can I contribute? What can I do for the glory of God? What can I do to touch and save more lives, to bring meaning, purpose and power of salvation into the lives of others?” The purpose of our lives is no longer to make ourselves comfortable in this lifetime but to strive for an eternal goal of building the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. It is surrendering or submitting our lives to the will and purpose of God. The purpose of our work is no longer mere profit and wealth but to meet the need of others, to serve the least of our brethren, to share the love of God.

The pattern of speech of this world is boastful, spiteful, scornful, untruthful, vulgar, full of lies and vanity. The transformed pattern the Word indicates is a wholesome pattern of speech that is wholesome, not harmful to others but building the hope and faith of others. The pattern of thought conditioned by the world is self-focussed, problem-oriented, limited and narrow. The transformed pattern is based on meditating on the Word. It is solution-oriented and other-focussed. The pattern of our emotions triggered by the world and its circumstances are largely negative and unhealthy. It is driven by fear, insecurity, greed and selfishness. The transformed pattern of emotions is to be hopeful for the future, joyful in the present and thankful for the past. The process of spiritual transformation is not a one time happening but a lifelong learning that comes from daily renewal and affirming our relationship with the Creator-Redeemer. It does not happen due to a lot of striving and effort on our part but a continual yielding to the Holy Spirit who gently moulds and shapes us again in the image of God without breaking us.

The pattern of actions of this world is highly reactive. It is stimulus-driven. Most of our actions are knee-jerk and based on what is happening around us. The transformed pattern of action is to not to do unto others what they have done to us but to do that which we would have liked them to do to us. It is proactive, progressive and a natural outflow of selfless love or agape that God demonstrated in His Son Jesus. The relationship pattern of this world is based on the need to dominate, to emerge superior and “quid pro quo” or what can I gain from person x or y. The relationship pattern is transformed when we experience the love of Christ to one of the need to serve, to help and to bless the other. While worshipping last Sunday, I had an insight why the angels and elders worship the Lord saying, “ holy, holy,holy”- it implies that God or the Trinity is absolutely perfect or holy in thought, word and action. While we cannot exactly be holy except by attribution by grace, we need to conform to the character of God by being wholesome in our thought pattern, word pattern and action pattern. Transformation is a deep -seated, irreversible change in the way we think, speak and do. Our pattern of goals and objectives are changed. Our priorities are changed. Behavioural change automatically ensues.

Prateep V Philip