Barak Obama's recent comment of putting lipstick on a pig reminded me of the statement Jesus made about casting pearls before swine. The implication that Jesus was making was that pigs have no appreciation of something so valuable. Their only concern is is it eatable. They are only interested in satisfying their basic instinct.
The point Paul makes in Ephesians 4 is similar. He tells followers of Christ not to live like unbelievers anymore. There is a stark difference between the world's way of thinking and God's way of thinking. And as a child of God, my thinking should resemble that of my heavenly Father. The world's way of thinking is similar to that of the swine described by Jesus, who cannot value the things of God and are only interested in pursuing their own basic desires.
It seems that the world has three basic desires; self, sex and cents. That's cents as in money not as in common sense. All of life is centered on those three things. Nothing seems to stand in their way. Morality has simply become what feels right to me in order to get what I really want.
God calls us to a higher standard than that of the world. Since we've been made new in Christ and have God's Holy Spirit living in us as followers of Christ, the natural desires of our old life have to be put away. Even though we still live in a world that has lost all sensitivity, we must allow God to transform our minds and practices by immersing ourselves in Him. As a human being, my fleshly nature wants to take over. As a new creation in Christ, God's Spirit is forging me. The battleground is my heart, mind and attitude.
Putting off the old self with all its desires and tendencies is a daily challenge that I can never accomplish on my own. The only way that will happen is for me to give in to the Spirit. I must live my life in submission to, under complete control of the Holy Spirit. That's what it means to put on the new self created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
God, I struggle daily with my old self. Just when I think I'm getting a handle on it, my old self presses through. I need your Spirit to seize me. I need to immerse myself in your Word and thoughts. The corruption of the world tries to desensitize me to your values and truths. Renew my thinking daily, Lord. Draw me to your presence. Allow me to taste of your righteousness and holiness.
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