Brokenness changes our mindsets.(Part 1)
July 12th, 2009 | 
A man who has been broken by God thinks very differently. He starts thinking like God does. People who think out of this world often make others uncomfortable in their comfort zones. Have you ever been around one?
Noah in the bible is a very good example.
Gen 6:11-22 tells the story of Noah and the ark.
In Noah’s days, man did not ever see rain. And because man was so wicked, God told Noah to build an ark so that only he and his family along with 2 of every animals would survive the Flood that would wipe all mankind out, and start again afresh. Imagine if you were living in Noah’s days..you would mock him what on earth he is trying to construct..”what ridiculous Ark thing are you trying to construct Noah?and what on earth is rain?”
Also, I want to share another humourous story that happened during my SMU university application interview in 2008 to illustrate the point. I was still serving in the military back then, and I think that going through army really does bring out the sides of people no one has ever seen before!In order not to humiliate this friend concerned, lets call him Malcolm. Both of us had to sit before our faculty Dean and convince him why we should be in the course we applied (i am in the Information Systems Faculty). Being bold, i decided to go first, and I answered his questions in a straightforward manner. (You know the usual questions like :”Why did you apply to the School of Information Systems?). Then it was Malcolm’s turn, and this was where it was super funny.
When my dean asked Malc why did he apply to the School of Information Systems and not any other faculty, his answer was downright astonishing, yet humourous. His reply: “Because I want to find out how musical pitch and tones can kill human beings.” We laughed so hard, even our Dean could not control his amusement! Mind you Malc, it is an IT faculty, NOT A MUSIC SCHOOL!After the whole incident, I was told a few months later that Malc was accepted into my faculty! Remarkable for a person who gave a really ridiculous answer!
Our thinking is changed when we allow God to do His work of breaking in our lives. Rom 12:2 – ‘Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.’ We get a new pattern of thinking. Did you know that our thoughts influence our emotions and hence, our actions? Teach a person to think like a loser, he will always be a loser. Teach a person to think like a victim, and he will always be the victim. But teach a person to think like a champion, he becomes a champion!
In Part II, I will elaborate a little more about new mindsets.
