If You Only Knew What You Could Be
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. (Romans 12:2)
On one occasion when I was a kid I remember walking along the banks of Muddy Creek in South West Pennsylvania with a neighbor. As we walked along I saw the flash of a fish in the water and I paused to check it out. I saw a fish that looked to be about 2 feet long and was totally gold colored. Not recognizing the species, I asked my friend what he thought it might be. Without a moment’s hesitation he said, “It’s a goldfish!” That started the argument. I knew what a goldfish looked like. Goldfish are little tiny fish an inch or two long at most. In fact I had actually brought one home earlier that summer when my family had gone to the county fair. I had played that game where you bounce ping pong balls off the top of little round goldfish bowls. I had devised a special way to toss the ball with a skillful underhanded backspin – and wouldn’t you know it – I won! My prize goldfish had the unfortunate experience of spending the rest of the evening bouncing around the country fair in a plastic bag. I even lost him once when I mistakenly left him at the cotton candy stand and had to go back searching for him. But he somehow survived the excitement of the evening. I even managed to keep him alive for about 4 weeks after the fair living in a large pickle jar I found in our basement. The point is; I knew what a gold fish looked like. No one was going to convince me that this 2 foot behemoth in the creek (correctly pronounced “crick” in SW Penns.) was actually a goldfish. But my friend kept arguing that sometimes people will take their little fish, and turn it loose in a “crick” which enables them to grow quite large.
Not wanting my friend to have the upper hand in the disagreement I decided to contact a local pet store to find out if what he was saying was actually true. So I called the store and asked to speak to their head “goldfishologist.” And to my surprise the expert on the phone said, “Yeah, it’s true. If you keep a gold fish in a little bowl it stays little. But if you increase the size of its environment, it will grow and grow and grow until it reaches its full potential. The environment in which the fish lives has a major influence on the growth of the fish. A restrictive environment retards his growth. An expansive environment facilitates growth.” He said, “What you saw in the creek may have been a goldfish, which has been set free and is now reaching its full potential of growth.”
I’ve never looked at a goldfish the same way since then. Every time I see one now I talk to them. I look at them in their little bowls and say, “If you only knew what you could become.”
The verse above reminds we don’t have to exist in a spiritual goldfish bowl. Paul recognized we face a constant pressure from the world trying to squeeze us into conformity. J. B. Phillips says in his translation of the Bible, “Do not allow the world to squeeze you into its mold.” In other words, don’t go through your life with dull, unthinking passivity. If you do, you will never experience the fullness of what Christ has ordained you to be. The world system around us sets a pattern for behavior and demands that we conform to that pattern. Instead, Paul says, we should be changed to a different pattern – how? By the renewing of our minds. It starts with our mind. God reveals the expansiveness of His mind in His Word. As we incorporate it into our lives something miraculous happens – transformation. He takes small little sinners and miraculously transforms them into something new. The more we are washed in the Word the more we are able “test and approve” God’s will. It’s the idea of discerning God’s will. Paul gives that will three qualities – good, pleasing, and perfect. Good means just that – good. What God wants for you is good for you, even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time. Pleasing means “acceptable.” It makes sense, and you can accept it – the more you know God the more He can take you through tough times. He also uses the word “perfect” meaning “complete” or “mature.” God is maturing you, transforming you into His image. He dream for you is to experience renewal and transformation and reach your full potential. Don’t settle for anything less.
If you really want a picture of what God wants for your life – take a look at Jesus. God’s desire is for us all to be conformed to His image. So don’t stay trapped in a fishbowl. Saturate your life with Jesus and experience His renewal and transformation.
Live the Victorious Life,
PT
On one occasion when I was a kid I remember walking along the banks of Muddy Creek in South West Pennsylvania with a neighbor. As we walked along I saw the flash of a fish in the water and I paused to check it out. I saw a fish that looked to be about 2 feet long and was totally gold colored. Not recognizing the species, I asked my friend what he thought it might be. Without a moment’s hesitation he said, “It’s a goldfish!” That started the argument. I knew what a goldfish looked like. Goldfish are little tiny fish an inch or two long at most. In fact I had actually brought one home earlier that summer when my family had gone to the county fair. I had played that game where you bounce ping pong balls off the top of little round goldfish bowls. I had devised a special way to toss the ball with a skillful underhanded backspin – and wouldn’t you know it – I won! My prize goldfish had the unfortunate experience of spending the rest of the evening bouncing around the country fair in a plastic bag. I even lost him once when I mistakenly left him at the cotton candy stand and had to go back searching for him. But he somehow survived the excitement of the evening. I even managed to keep him alive for about 4 weeks after the fair living in a large pickle jar I found in our basement. The point is; I knew what a gold fish looked like. No one was going to convince me that this 2 foot behemoth in the creek (correctly pronounced “crick” in SW Penns.) was actually a goldfish. But my friend kept arguing that sometimes people will take their little fish, and turn it loose in a “crick” which enables them to grow quite large.
Not wanting my friend to have the upper hand in the disagreement I decided to contact a local pet store to find out if what he was saying was actually true. So I called the store and asked to speak to their head “goldfishologist.” And to my surprise the expert on the phone said, “Yeah, it’s true. If you keep a gold fish in a little bowl it stays little. But if you increase the size of its environment, it will grow and grow and grow until it reaches its full potential. The environment in which the fish lives has a major influence on the growth of the fish. A restrictive environment retards his growth. An expansive environment facilitates growth.” He said, “What you saw in the creek may have been a goldfish, which has been set free and is now reaching its full potential of growth.”
I’ve never looked at a goldfish the same way since then. Every time I see one now I talk to them. I look at them in their little bowls and say, “If you only knew what you could become.”
The verse above reminds we don’t have to exist in a spiritual goldfish bowl. Paul recognized we face a constant pressure from the world trying to squeeze us into conformity. J. B. Phillips says in his translation of the Bible, “Do not allow the world to squeeze you into its mold.” In other words, don’t go through your life with dull, unthinking passivity. If you do, you will never experience the fullness of what Christ has ordained you to be. The world system around us sets a pattern for behavior and demands that we conform to that pattern. Instead, Paul says, we should be changed to a different pattern – how? By the renewing of our minds. It starts with our mind. God reveals the expansiveness of His mind in His Word. As we incorporate it into our lives something miraculous happens – transformation. He takes small little sinners and miraculously transforms them into something new. The more we are washed in the Word the more we are able “test and approve” God’s will. It’s the idea of discerning God’s will. Paul gives that will three qualities – good, pleasing, and perfect. Good means just that – good. What God wants for you is good for you, even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time. Pleasing means “acceptable.” It makes sense, and you can accept it – the more you know God the more He can take you through tough times. He also uses the word “perfect” meaning “complete” or “mature.” God is maturing you, transforming you into His image. He dream for you is to experience renewal and transformation and reach your full potential. Don’t settle for anything less.
If you really want a picture of what God wants for your life – take a look at Jesus. God’s desire is for us all to be conformed to His image. So don’t stay trapped in a fishbowl. Saturate your life with Jesus and experience His renewal and transformation.
Live the Victorious Life,
PT
posted by Larry | 2:38 PM
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