Two Keys to Thinking Like Jesus

Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. Philippians 2:56 (MSG)

The first half of this mental shift is to stop thinking immature thoughts, which are selfcentered and selfseeking. Babies, by nature, are completely selfish. They think only of themselves. That is immature thinking: "Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life" (Romans 8:5 MSG).

The apostle Paul wrote, "To be perfectly frank, I'm getting exasperated with your infantile thinking. How long before you grow up and use your head-your adult head? It's all right to have a childlike unfamiliarity with evil; a simple no is all that's needed there. But there's far more to saying yes to something. Only mature and wellexercised intelligence can save you from falling into gullibility" (1 Corinthians 14:20 MSG).

The second half of thinking like Jesus is to start thinking maturely, which focuses on others, not yourself. In his great chapter on what real love is, Paul concluded that thinking of others is the mark of maturity: "When I was an infant at my mother's breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good" (1 Corinthians 13:11 MSG).

Today, many assume that spiritual maturity is measured by how much biblical knowledge and doctrine you know. While knowledge is one measurement of maturity, it isn't the whole story. The Christian life is far more than creeds and convictions; it includes conduct and character. Our deeds must be consistent with our creeds and our beliefs must be backed up with Christlike behavior.

Christianity is not a philosophy, but a relationship and a life where we practice thinking of others as Jesus did: "Don't push your way to the front; don't sweettalk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand (Philippians 2:34 MSG).

Thinking of others is the heart of Christlikeness, and the goal of spiritual growth. This kind of thinking is unnatural, countercultural, and rare. The only way we will learn to think this way is by filling our minds with the Word of God.

"God has given us his Spirit. That's why we don't think the same way that the people of this world think" (1 Corinthians 2:12 CEV).

Rick Warren