"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 2:5
I love the adventure of shopping for bargains, whatever, wherever. I get a lot of people complimenting me on my dress style and coordination, who think I spend every dime I make on clothing. I simply tell them that God shops for me. I can go into a store and head to the clearance rack, and usually there is only one size - my size - and it is ridiculously marked down. I don't even have to try it on. Imagine buying a suit that was $425 for $29.99. My God and I have such great times together. He surely looks out for me, and yes, I do get the best for less! And yes, he also guides me in my writing every week, insomuch that there are instances and occurrences, locally and globally that tie right in with the message that he gives to me.
I was parking in front of the bank just a few days ago, and a gentleman attempted to get out of his car, but I noticed that there was not enough space for the full opening of his door; I continued the parking process. He was neatly dressed, and as he walked there was an air of calmness and confidence about him. I caught up with him behind him on the bank lane. While waiting for the teller to return for his transaction, we engaged in conversion - of course I began it. Strangely, I asked him if he was a Jehovah's Witness; he smiled and said that he was an Adventist. My curious mind found out who he was -- Dr. Joseph L. Evans, director of the Bahamas Urology Center. I told him my name and he said that he knew and how he enjoys reading "Along Life's Road".
Leaving the bank, Paul's admonition to the Church at Philippi came to me: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus". Yes, it is the mind of a man that lifts him out of his environment and circumstances to lofty heights of professionalism, dignity, decorum and wellness of mind, body and soul.
And again, as I begin to write in the wee hours of the morning, I read Internet headlines and see one about a tourist giving a doggy bag of food to a homeless person. I laughed to see how my heavenly father gives me nuggets that tie in with what I am writing about.
A first-time French visitor to New York was walking through the famous Little Italy neighborhood when she saw a bearded homeless man rummaging through a dumpster looking for food. Carrying the remainder of a pizza in a doggy bag for later, her kind heart offered it to the homeless man. He accepted and thanked her for it. She went on her way. It was not until the next morning while at the breakfast table and reading the morning paper that she could not believe her eyes: Her picture with the hobo was in the newspaper, accompanied by a story. Richard Gere, famous Hollywood mega star, was on the set of a movie scene dressed as a homeless hobo. The name of the movie is "Time out of Mind". What a story for a first-time visitor!
One has to have the right mind to carry out the mandate that Jesus gave -- "Inasmuch as ye have done it to the least of these my brethren, ye have done it to me."
I was sick and you did not visit me; hungry and thirsty and you gave me no food nor drink; naked and you offered me no clothes; in prison and you had no time for visitation.
To do these deeds of kindness and acts of love, the right mind, the pure mind, the focused mind must be patterned after Jesus of Nazareth.
As children we grew up with admonition from parents and elders, that it is the mind and mannerly actions that make a man and woman too.
There are many books that are written about character and the role it plays in leadership. Who better than Saul-turned-Paul to write about the power of a good character?
With his notorious past behind him - and how I pray that we begin to leave people alone with their pasts and encourage them in their quests for newness of spirit - Paul is writing to the Church at Philippi from Rome. It is reciprocity of love and gratitude for the affectionate generosity and cheerfulness of the Philippians.
"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. Always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ...Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."
Oh how we need people, especially those of the household of faith, to continue to have the mind of Christ. The only hope for our nation in this time of national distress over the crime wave will not be found in legislation, but in salvation. We must put away strife, malice, backbiting, envy, bad minds and all those evils that are the nesting place for crime and violence. People are singing and shouting about what Jesus has done for them and their actions and deeds refute it. Sometimes I think that David must have been pointing at some of us when he sternly warned us that we are standing in the way of sinners to repentance.
When Paul spoke about the mind and spirit that should characterize the Christian community, his meaning was determined by the reality of that mind encountered in Jesus Christ. It is the attitude and disposition expressed in Jesus that governs the Christian in his or her relationship with other believers and the desire for sinners' acceptance of Christ.
It is my prayer, dear readers, that our constant prayer be "O to be like thee, full of compassion, loving, forgiving, tender, kind, holy, harmless, patient, brave, helping the helpless, cheering the fainting, meekly enduring cruel reproaches and seeking the wandering sinner to find".
o Email rubyanndarling@yahoo.com, or write to P.O. Box 19725 SS Nassau, Bahamas with your prayer requests, concerns and comments. God's Blessings!

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