Are you a conduit or cul-de-sac for truth? Are you a pipeline that allows truth to pass through, or does truth reach a dead end with you? Here are four traits upon which to reflect:
Pride vs. Humility
Do you look out on the family you have, the career you have, the reputation and influence you have, and quietly say to yourself, “Look what I have built.” Pride inflames arrogance and coddles insecurity. Humility sees any progress, success, or status for what it is: a gift from God. Truth flows through humility and is crushed by pride.
Boasting on Yourself vs. Boasting on God
Self-reliance receives any blessing as proof of your strength and ability. The impulse is rooted in pride but manifests itself in boasting about yourself. You don’t merely take credit, but brag about how great you are. Truth is found in developing an allergy to boasting about yourself. Whenever the blessing comes, you instead say, “By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked hard for what I have, but it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”
Serving Self vs. Serving Others
Self-indulgence receives the blessing as a warrant for selfishness. You see the whole world as a means of fulfilling your cravings. Self-sacrifice, however, receives the blessing as an opportunity to demonstrate love. Truth is found in seeing blessing as an opportunity to spread neighborly love by serving others in God’s name.
Your Glory vs. God’s Glory
How often have you gloated to yourself over achievement or a possession? Over a good deed or wise word? How often have you stopped to bask for a moment in the false sense of your majesty? Truth is revealed by enjoying the reward of knowing that all we have, and all we do, is from God, through God, and for God’s glory.
Upon reflection, are your more like a conduit or a cul-de-sac? I believe we can train our minds to become conduits for truth. By renewing your mind, you will see the world differently. You will feel like you’ve had an awakening and will be more aware of the Holy Spirit working in and through you. That’s what renewing your mind feels like.
And as you “move 1%” forward in your training each day, you’ll continuously grow in Spirit and truth. You’ll humbly serve others while giving God the credit and glory. You’ll grow in influence in your community and be equipped to expose lies and distortions of the truth. You’ll engage prideful, self-reliant, self-indulgent naysayers with love and forgiveness so that truth, justice, and righteousness will prevail.
MindWolves 