October 7

Set Your Mind On Things Above
Colossians 3:1-17

The hardest physical task in all of the major sports is hitting a baseball.  A 50% shooter in basketball needs a lot of work.  A 50% passer in football is soon looking for another line of work.  A 30% hitter in baseball can make a lot of money.  Over and over again, Little League (and other) coaches tell their players:  "Keep your eye on the ball."  Over and again the players look where they want the ball to be - not where the ball actually is.
It's like that in life too.  Our Lord clearly tells us here to "set your mind on things above."  Pay attention to the kingdom of heaven!  Do that first!  Everything else will follow in its proper course if you do.  And, of course, we don't.  We look to where our desires lead us - not to where God calls us.
The things we look after - lust, greed, pride, and all the rest - are listed for us here.  These we are to put to death;  their effects - anger, malice, slander and the like we are to get rid of.  This is just the first step, however.  To truly turn our minds to the kingdom of heaven we must exceed the "thou shalt nots" - we must go on to the good things of the kingdom.

  • On the outside we must place the right attitudes:  compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  These should be the signs others see of our mindset.
  • Between ourselves, we must be the ones who forgive, the ones who bear the burdens for each other.  Always caring for the other one, looking first to serve.
  • All this must be glued together with love.
This is not easy to do alone - but Christianity is not an individual sport.  It is a team effort.  Paul tells us that we are to "admonish one another in all wisdom" - like the kid on the bench in the baseball game who keeps shouting out encouragement to all his teammates.  We are to keep each other's vision on things above.
Aim low and get what you aim at.  Aim high, and the low things are caught in the same net.  "Seek first the kingdom" said our Lord, and it is just possible that he meant it.  The paradox of the faith is this:  if you seek the world's way, you will find it and achieve your goals - and be disappointed.  If you seek God's way you will never reach the ultimate goal this side of heaven - and you'll be supremely glad of it.