Great spiritual guidance, life-changing ways, have come from this one Greek word (metanoia: change one's mind) in Scripture. One powerful study on this came from Clarence Jordan, the Greek scholar and Southern farmer, who helped start an interracial community committed to equality and nonviolence in Georgia back in the 1942. Despite hatred, repeated violent attacks and several bombings, the interracial farm shone as a witness to the love of God for all. Not only was their community a powerful example, but the farm eventually led to the founding of Habitat for Humanity.
A second explanation of this enlivening word came today in a spiritual study by Rick Bloom based on 2 Timothy 3:2-5. How are we to change our minds, our lives?
We need to confess humility, pray with tenacity, seek God with intensity.
AND we need to change our minds by turning from these wrongs which plague modern life (as they did ancient times):
TURN from
philautos--self absorbed, egotistical
philarguros--focused on money, greedy
alazon--self-promoting
huperephanos--status conscious, stuck up
blasphemos--God-insulting, contemptible
apeithes--rude, disrespectful
acharistos--unappreciative
anosios--crude, profane
astorgos--unkind, heartless
aspondos--unwilling to forgive
diabolos--slander, gossip
akratess--uncontrolled, impulsive
anemeros--loves violence, cruelty, brutality
aphilagathos--cynical
prodotes--back-stabbing, double-dealing
propetes--reckless, rash, irresponsible
tuphoo--puffed up with pride
philedonos--choosing pleasure over God ("addicted to lust, allergic to God")
Sounds like the description of a new show on HBO or ABC doesn't it? Or a new movie
about the "beauty of revenge"? Or a talk show on the radio? Or the present U.S.A. political campaign for president? Or how we treated our coworker or neighbor or a driver on the freeway yesterday?
Time to change our mind! Time to change our lives!
To know Jesus and to make him known.
In the Light,
Daniel Wilcox
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