Our ideas: deceptions to impress people?

When I do something to impress others, I reveal that I live out of a core set of ideas that I believe will advance my reputation if I pursue them. These ideas may spring from my personal longings or those established by society—governing ideas highly regarded by family, friends, strangers I meet at retreats or speaking engagements, and the culture at large. 

But in my pursuit of these ideas (such as the appearance of being in control), I am not trusting that the Lord is my Shepherd and that God provides everything I need—including the reputation I deserve. From a kingdom perspective, the ideas I’ve adopted—powerful as they may be—are deceptions. 

Our versions of these ideas are often a mystery to us and may have little to do with what we profess to believe. We’re not being deceitful—we simply don’t realize what our core ideas are. One way to discover them is to look backward at one of our behaviors, choices, or responses to someone and ask, What does this tell me about what I believe in the depths of myself? 

For example, we embrace ideas about happiness such as, I must do whatever it takes to be happy, or ideas about contempt such as, Labeling and name-calling are acceptable if I am right and the other person is wrong. We hold dear certain core ideas about ourselves that govern everything about us: No one will love me if they know what I am really like. I must work harder to prove myself. Eating more, spending more, or being sexier will meet my needs or make me feel better about myself. 

TODAY’S EXPERIMENT - Engage in some exploratory, listening prayer about your core ideas. Begin by acknowledging to God that you want the mind of Christ to be in you and ask God to renew your mind (see Romans 12:2). Then ask God to help you with your first step of discerning what core ideas now govern your thinking. Jot down what comes to mind so you can refine them later, returning to them as you are able. If you wish, go over a recent situation in which you behaved in a way that makes you now feel uncomfortable. What core ideas dictated your behavior? Don’t be afraid to be brutally honest. God is not surprised by any of this and longs to process it all with you. Close by asking God to show you your next steps, perhaps asking, What ideas am I to embrace instead? What corrective thinking do I need? If you’re unsure, consult a wise friend.
                                            


 

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