Rooted in Love: Living the Christian Life to the FullSample

The Mind of Christ

Would you say that you are wise? We should reflect that, as a Christian, it is wisdom that we need – wisdom to know how to live our life in the pattern of Christ.

The book of Proverbs tells us that wisdom is more precious than rubies, fine gold or silver. It will give us a garland to grace our heads and present us with a glorious crown and an adornment around the neck. King Solomon was right, when he was offered anything in the whole world, to ask for wisdom. God was so delighted with his answer that he gave him wisdom and everything else as well. But wisdom isn’t just amassing intellectual information or enjoying the elegance of abstract theories. It is Christ crucified that is the wisdom of God. Wisdom is knowing that, by denying ourselves and taking up our cross and following Jesus Christ, we will find life in all its fullness. 

Wisdom is knowing that to save our lives we need to lose them. The wisdom of the cross seems folly to the wisdom of the world. Strength in weakness, gaining by losing and the power of the cross still seem foolish to those who measure strength by gross national product and megaton bombs. Those devoted to finishing first, who thrive on power as prominence and who seek knowledge as a source of power will never understand this. Wisdom can’t be gained through human endeavour alone. The wisdom of the cross tells us that when we are willing to give up our identity, to sacrifice our personal freedom, to let go of our prejudices, to stop holding on to material wealth and our allegiance to others, and to die to self, we will inherit the crown of rejoicing, an everlasting name, the kingdom of God and life in all its fullness. The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

When we put our faith in Christ, he becomes for us ‘wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption’. Incredibly, this means that we can say that we have the mind of Christ. If that is true there is no depth of cross-shaped wisdom too deep, no height of spiritual knowledge too high, for us to explore. Isaac Watts reflects this in a verse of his hymn ‘Praise ye the Lord’: He formed the stars, those heavenly flames, He counts their numbers, calls their names; His wisdom’s vast, and knows no bound, A deep where all our thoughts are drowned. We therefore need to spend time with him – to abide with him. How often do we rush on and not abide? Is it any surprise then that we struggle to comprehend God and his wisdom? It has also been suggested that wisdom comes about only when we find time not only to gain knowledge but also for idleness – idleness in the true tradition of the contemplative, which means finding time for reflection, for freedom of thought. The creative wonder of Newton’s moment under the apple tree. We need to find time for reflection, for freedom of thought and creative wonder, to find that place where all our thoughts are drowned.

Questions for Reflection

1. Actively find time in your day and reflect on what wisdom means to you and your faith?

2. Are there moments in your life where your time could be better spent? Find time for idleness and during this idleness reflect on your faith.

3. What sacrifices have you made and what prejudices have you pushed aside for God’s love and wisdom?