Being transformed

Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

I selected this passage during a trying week in the United States. It was the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States; Charlie Kirk, a political activist, was murdered during an event on a college campus, and two high school students in Colorado were injured in yet another school shooting. 

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. 

The week was a lot. But as sad as those events were, what saddened me most was the immediate finger-pointing regarding Kirk’s murder. Many were rushing to assign blame before any facts were available. 

A man was killed. His murder was unacceptable. Children were injured in a school shooting, which is also unacceptable. But rather than mourn the fact that these events continue to occur in the United States, many chose to vilify the other. 

I desperately wanted the conversation to change, then I saw this passage as a suggested verse for a devotional. 

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” 

In verses 9 and 10 of this chapter, we read,

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another in mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.

Genuine love and mutual affection. Doesn’t that sound like what the world and our country need right now? 

Our focus on loving our neighbors certainly seemed prescient in September. Charlie Kirk was our neighbor, but so was the shooter. The children in Colorado are our neighbors, but so was the young man who shot them. And those men who flew into the World Trade Center 24 years ago? Yes, they were our neighbors, too. 

Love. That is what is good and acceptable and perfect. Jesus instructed us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Let that be our litmus test. Do our posts on social media reflect love of our neighbors? Do we want people to judge us the way we are tempted to judge others? May we focus on testing and discerning rather than reacting and misconstruing. 

Let us pray as Jesus taught his disciples to pray. 

Our Father, who art in heaven, 

hallowed be thy Name, 

thy kingdom come, 

thy will be done, 

on earth as it is in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread. 

And forgive us our trespasses, 

as we forgive those who trespass against us. 

And lead us not into temptation, 

but deliver us from evil. 

For thine is the kingdom, 

and the power, and the glory, 

forever. 

Amen. 

This devotional was written by Kathryn King.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life. 

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org. 

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.