It Starts with a Decision

My mother-in-law, Elizabeth, was a wonderful woman, loved by everyone who knew her. She died a few months after her one-hundredth birthday. She had a delightful sense of humor that, even in the last stages of her life, could fill a room with laughter and joy. More than once, she turned the gloomy atmosphere of a doctor’s waiting room into a temporary community of friends laughing at life’s unexpected surprises. Her mind was sharp and attentive to the changes and challenges she witnessed and experienced during her long lifespan. She remained curious, mischievous, and eager to learn until her death. 

Liz had worked as a secretary for corporate executives. In her prime, her office skills were almost legendary. She could type at nearly one hundred and thirty words per minute without errors and took flawless shorthand. As she neared retirement, she realized that computers were making her skill set irrelevant. Since she planned to retire anyway, she made a decision that was inconsistent with her love of learning. She chose to not pursue the computer skills required to do office work in the emerging workplace. 

Liz, like so many others, had failed to grasp that technology would change almost everything, not just office work. Computers were making newspapers obsolete, emails and texts were necessary for staying in touch with others, and research was done online, not at a library. Basic computer skills had become increasingly necessary for countless daily tasks. After several years, she began to feel isolated because she was not fluent in the new language of computers. Ultimately, her decision to not learn computer skills subverted her love of learning. She remained an outsider in this age of unending technological change.

Disciples cannot afford to repeat her mistake by thinking we have reached a level of spiritual maturity that eliminates our need to pursue further spiritual growth. Such an attitude fosters spiritual complacency, a spiritual cancer that erodes the vitality of our faith and is incompatible with the growth mentality that characterizes disciples. 

Connecting and Reconnecting the Dots

Peter, after Jesus called him to become a disciple, spent most of the next three years following Jesus over the dusty roads and trails of Galilee, Samaria, and Judea. It was an extraordinary experience. He saw Jesus demonstrate his authority and power through countless miracles. He also experienced the extraordinary love and kindness of Jesus. Yet he struggled to understand the nature of Jesus’ mission. Peter was the first disciple to affirm that Jesus was the Messiah but failed to grasp implications of that truth. He became the unofficial leader of the twelve and a member of Jesus’ inner circle. On the night Jesus was betrayed, Peter exclaimed that he was willing to die with Jesus. However, later that night, Peter denied even knowing Jesus three times to save his own skin. The next day, Jesus, the one Peter had declared was the Messiah, was tortured and crucified. His lifeless body was placed in a tomb. Peter was crushed, confused and overwhelmed by these shocking events.

Peter, like the other eleven disciples, after nearly three years with Jesus, still could not reconcile his personal expectations with the crucifixion. Understanding Jesus’ mission was like trying to finish a jigsaw puzzle that was missing some pieces. Peter tried to frame it in a way that made sense. He was convinced Jesus was the Messiah. Yet the events he witnessed during those last days in Jerusalem, culminating in Jesus’ death by crucifixion, remained incomprehensible to him. On the first day of that week, which we call Palm Sunday, Jesus had entered Jerusalem. The city was overflowing with people because of the Passover celebration. They had welcomed Jesus enthusiastically, as if he were a great king returning from a resounding military victory. Peter and the other disciples were elated, probably anticipating a glorious coronation celebration, not an ignominious crucifixion. But by Friday afternoon, the unthinkable had happened. Through tears, Peter contemplated how the one with all authority and power, who had raised Lazarus from the dead, the Messiah, and the Light of the World, could lay mutilated and lifeless in the darkness of a sealed tomb. Peter’s hopes were shattered, his grief was unbearable, and his disappointment crushing. His mind was numb and nearly incapacitated. He could not reconnect the dots in a way that explained the new facts. It was inexplicable. 

Three days later, the news of Jesus’ resurrection also was incomprehensible—until they encountered the risen Lord. Then there was pure joy! Forty days after his resurrection, Peter watched as Jesus ascended back to the Father. Ten days later, on the day of Pentecost, each of the one hundred twenty disciples was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then Peter, filled with the Spirit, powerfully, and with profound insight, explained Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection to the crowds. What had been inexplicable to Peter now made sense. Peter had changed his thinking; he had reconnected the dots in a way that finally made sense. His new clarity explained the facts so well that over three thousand people believed his message and were filled with the Holy Spirit that day. They, too, after hearing Peter’s explanation, had changed their minds and confessed their new faith in Jesus through baptism. This was the birth of the Church. No doubt Peter had not anticipated any of this when he chose to follow Jesus. But following Jesus required him to make frequent changes in response to Jesus’ teaching and actions in order to integrate them into his new and still emerging way of seeing and explaining reality. Like Peter, as we follow and grow more like Jesus, we must continually nurture a growth mentality.

I describe this process of growing clarity as “reconnecting the dots.” A photograph is made up of tiny dots called pixels. Our eyes see the pixels and our minds interpret their meaning so that we see a specific picture. In a similar way, our beliefs about life, truth, the world around us, our faith, and our life experiences are like tiny pixels. These pixels are facts. Our minds must organize and interpret those pixels in a way that brings clarity, an accurate mental picture of reality. We don’t change the dots/facts but rearrange them in a way that makes the most sense to us. We are continually incorporating new pixels into our mental map of reality. The way we organize and make sense of this knowledge ultimately fosters either foolishness or wisdom. Some call it our “worldview.” It’s how we frame all that information so that it makes the best sense of the facts. Peter, like all the disciples, sought to make sense of it all by continually reconnecting the dots in his mind. 

The crucifixion, however, was inexplicable to the disciples. Four days after Lazarus had died, they had watched as Jesus called Lazarus out of his tomb. They had heard Jesus say he was life and had come to give abundant life. However, the cross turned everything they thought they knew upside down. Their minds couldn’t reconcile or organize the crucifixion related pixels in a way that made sense until three days later, they had to assimilate an additional data dump called the resurrection. But as they assimilated the reality of resurrection, even the crucifixion fit seamlessly into their new mental map. The crucifixion was not the end of the story. The resurrection confirmed that Jesus had defeated sin, Satan, and death on the cross. Likewise, a short time later, they were filled with the Holy Spirit who brought a new thing into existence called the church. So once again, they had to fit more new pixels into their emerging map of reality. They were on a steep learning curve, just as all disciples have experienced during the past two-thousand years. The learning and growing process of Peter and the other disciples continued because it was, and continues to be, a life-long, life-giving, and life-transforming process that requires a growth mentality.

Changing our Mental Maps through Continuing Repentance 

A more theological way of describing this process would be to call it “continuing repentance.” The Greek word for repentance literally means “change of mind.” The disciples had to continually keep changing their minds to keep up with Jesus and the things they witnessed and experienced daily. This is what the Bible calls repentance. They had to keep changing their minds as they received and obeyed his teaching and experienced life with Jesus. Repentance is like a two-sided coin. “Heads” is the change of mind and “tails” is the change in how we live. The two sides are joined in one coin just as the change of mind and change in actions are joined as one in the repentance process. To believe something new means that you stop believing one thing and begin believing another thing. It starts with changing your mind, how you perceive reality. Yet if it doesn’t change your way of living (your actions), it’s merely an idea or a theory—not life-transforming repentance. 

For instance, if you assume your tap water is pure, you drink it daily without fear. But if tests reveal the water contains significant amounts of lead, you stop drinking the tap water to avoid lead poisoning. This change of mind naturally changes your actions. You realize what you formerly believed (your tap water was pure and safe) was incorrect, a misrepresentation of reality and untrue. You believed a lie. After you change your mind and are convinced the water is toxic, you instinctively and intentionally turn off the water and never drink from your tap again. It’s a two- step process: first you change your mind and then you change your behavior. 

Once you understand repentance in this way, you naturally recognize the pattern of continuing repentance in Peter’s and the other disciples’ lives. We seek to see reality as Jesus sees it. When we decided to go all-in for Jesus, that was the first part of repentance – we began to believe (mind and heart) that Jesus is the Savior, the Messiah, the Lord of all, and God incarnate! Embracing those new truths then requires major changes in the way we live each day (actions, the second part of repentance). This is called justification. Disciples realize that kingdom living requires a lifetime of continuing repentance to become like Jesus. This is called sanctification. Without repentance there is no growth and so it becomes part of a growth mindset.

BECOMING LIKE JESUS IS A LIFE-LONG PROCESS OF GROWTH AND CHANGE. 

Remember Challenge 8 is built around this truth: Becoming like Jesus is a life-long process of growth and change. The Jesus way is a dynamic, growth-oriented way of life. Truth is eternal because God is eternal and unchanging. God and truth are the same yesterday, today, and forever. But the Spirit continues to help us see the implications of that truth which requires us to connect the dots in fresh, new ways, so that our words, thoughts, and attitudes are consistent with our actions. Repentance requires that we continually reconnect the dots in new ways to become more and more like Jesus. We must continually “revise our mental maps” of reality by syncing them with a growing understanding of how God views reality. It’s a life-long process for all disciples which continually brings us closer to Jesus and the unchanging truth.

Disciples and a Growth Mentality

Disciples always seek to connect the dots in more accurate ways. We intentionally pursue continuing repentance, and frequently revise our mental map of reality. We may use other terms to describe how we nurture the growth mentality. Dots, pixels, and mental maps are simply ways of describing the growth mentality that characterizes disciples—apprentices of Jesus in Kingdom living. Apprentices are intentional learners. We continually seek to live in the ways Jesus taught and modeled for us. And like Peter, we even learn and grow from our failures. Disciples are not characterized by perfection, but by a growth mentality. Growth is normative for disciples.

THINKING IT THROUGH

“Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.” Proverbs 12:15

THE TRUTH: Becoming like Jesus is a life-long process of growth and change. 

THE CHALLENGE: Disciples continually nurture a growth mentality. 

The Scriptures, and questions are for group discussion and personal reflection. Our goal in Tier II is character transformation which requires sustained effort and growing faith.

Related Scriptures

1 Corinthians 3:6 ⁶ I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.

Hebrews 6:1 ¹ So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God.

Luke 8:14 ¹⁴ The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity.

Philippians 1:9 ⁹ I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.

Colossians 1:10 ¹⁰ Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.

1 Peter 2:2 ² Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment,

2 Peter 1:8-9 ⁸ The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.

2 Chronicles 6:37 ³⁷ But in that land of exile, they might turn to you in repentance and pray, ‘We have sinned, done evil, and acted wickedly.’

Matthew 3:7-8 ⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” [John the Baptist speaking]

Acts 2:38 ³⁸ Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 51:17 ¹⁷ The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

Jeremiah 5:3 ³ Lord, you are searching for honesty. You struck your people, but they paid no attention. You crushed them, but they refused to be corrected. They are determined, with faces set like stone; they have refused to repent.

Jeremiah 34:15 ¹⁵ Recently you repented and did what was right, following my command. You freed your slaves and made a solemn covenant with me in the Temple that bears my name.

Ezekiel 14:6 ⁶ “Therefore, tell the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent and turn away from your idols, and stop all your detestable sins.’”

Mark 1:15 ¹⁵ “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”

Luke 22:32 ³² “But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”

2 Corinthians 12:21 ²¹ Yes, I am afraid that when I come again, God will humble me in your presence. And I will be grieved because many of you have not given up your old sins. You have not repented of your impurity, sexual immorality, and eagerness for lustful pleasure.

2 Peter 3:18 ¹⁸ Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.

Psalm 119:59 ⁵⁹ I pondered the direction of my life, 
and I turned to follow your laws.

Questions

These questions are designed to help you understand part 8-B at a deeper level. You are encouraged to focus on the questions that you find most interesting or helpful. This is not a test, but a tool to help you work the content of the part. It is useful for both group discussion and personal reflection. (Please write your responses in a journal or notebook.)

1. Describe what you think “continuing repentance” means. When is the last time you repented and what did you change your mind about? 

2. Revising your “mental map” describes the big picture. It’s the larger framework that makes sense of the other components. Some call this your “world view.” When you went all-in for Christ, how did it change your mental map?

3. Each of the twelve challenges ends with a “Working the Challenge” page and exercise. It is the same for all the challenges. The flow of its four components (UNDERSTAND, BELIEVE, DO, SHARE) is designed to foster a growth mentality through continuing repentance. Explain how it does so. 

4. What role would you expect the Holy Spirit to play in nurturing a growth mentality?

5. Explain why people need to change their minds (first part of repentance) before they can change their actions or attitudes (second part of repentance). 

6. Did your decision to participate in The Jesus Way reflect your desire for continued spiritual growth? If yes, has this study helped you grow?

7. Carol S. Dweck wrote a book called Mindset (2006, Ballantine Books) exploring the meaning of a “growth mindset” and how it differs from a “fixed mindset.” Which term (growth or fixed) best describes the way you think and approach life? Why?

8. Is there any decision you currently face that could be framed as either choosing growth over the status quo or vice versa? If so, explain what and why.

Copyright © 2024 Don Waite

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