In 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, we are instructed to take every thought captive. In other words, we have to be careful which thoughts we allow into our minds. A.W. Tozer said, “If we are honest with ourselves we can discover not only what we are but what we are going to become. We’ll soon be the sum of our voluntary thoughts.” We become that about which we think. If we want to live a life that looks like Christ, then we must become intentional about which thoughts we allow to take hold in our head. Jesus thought only of pleasing His Father and completing the mission He was sent to accomplish. That’s all He thought about, and it resulted in the only perfect life that has ever been lived.
If we’re honest, most of us would have to confess that the majority of our thoughts are centered on ourselves, not on others, and not on Jesus. Sure, we think about God sometimes, but rarely are our thoughts consumed by Him. How can we truthfully say that we desire our lives to look like Christ when our thoughts are not focused on Him? The truth is if we become what we think about most, we will all become self-centered pleasure seekers. That’s not the legacy I want to leave behind.
Even though intellectually we know better, most of us live as if life is all about us. We seek after safety, comfort, financial security, pleasure, and significance. Jesus said to seek His Kingdom first, but His Kingdom is notably absent on our list of pursuits. We seek self first and the Kingdom second. Then again, few of us will admit this to be true; we rationalize our actions and mask them with a repulsive flavor of Christianity that makes us feel righteous and better about ourselves than we deserve.
What’s on your mind today? Is your mind consumed with thoughts of yourself, your dreams, and your concerns? If you became what you think about most, would that be good enough when you face Jesus and give an account of your life? If we truly desire to live a life that looks like Jesus then we will fill our thoughts with His love and His mission. We will focus on serving others not ourselves. Can you imagine how beautiful your life would be if you intentionally thought only of serving others and drawing closer to God?
Who we will become will be the direct result of what we choose to think about. I want to become more like Jesus. If that’s you as well, then we must change the way we think. We must saturate our minds with His love and constantly seek to serve the needs of others. Then we will acquire a mind like Christ’s. We will fulfill the mission He gave us to do. We will become who He created us to be.