Do not be conformed to the world

“We too must be like all the nations, with a king to rule us, lead us in warfare, and fight our battles.” (1 Samuel 8:20)

God elected Israel to be a special family in the world.  The Israelites themselves were uncomfortable with this self-image.  They yearned to be like other nations.  Being set apart appears at times a burden too heavy to bear.   The early Roman Christians had the same image problem.  St. Paul writes to them, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” (Romans 12:2)  This advice seems to suggest that without the transformation of the mind, it will be near impossible not to conform to this world and its ideas.   The lure and magnetism of the world could be formidable at times.  St. Peter writes, “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance.” (1 Peter 1: 14).  Before they became Christians, their passions were unrestrained like those of their neighbors.  Everybody was living in ignorance.  With Baptism, the light of Christ dispelled this ignorance in their minds and hearts.

The word of God is the sword of the spirit that transforms the mind and liberates it from its former ignorance.  As we feed on the word always and everywhere, we are being transformed gradually into the image of Christ until we possess the mind of Christ in everything.  Correct thought is the key to correct action.  The Israelites wanted to have a king and be like other nations because they believed that the absence of a king was the reason their enemies prevailed over them in warfare.  If only they had a king to lead them in warfare and fight their battles, all will be well.  We know that this is not so.  The only king that fulfilled this wish was David because he was a man after God’s own heart.  Other Israelite kings led them into bankruptcy, defeats and exiles.

Only a mind transformed by the word of God will have the wisdom and courage to resist being conformed to this world and its values.