Therefore, once you have your minds ready for action and you are thinking clearly, place your hope completely on the grace that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1 Peter 1:13
I came across this bible verse this morning in my devotions. It really got me thinking: am I ready for action? am I thinking clearly?
Two hard questions.
Let's take the second one first. I am bombarded with news and posts and advertising from all directions these days. I'm not sure I am thinking very clearly, with all the different tasks and messages and influences that swirl around me. How can I clear my mind? How can I think more clearly?
One thing I know that makes a difference is clearing stuff out of my life. Tidying up the kitchen, putting the laundry away, clearing my desk, and organizing my calendar are all ways that I find help me think more clearly.
Then the question is: what am I thinking about? Am I focused on God each day? One of the blessings I get from God is that when I clear messiness from my life, I am able to see God at work more often in the people around me. An inspiring blessing!
Now for the first part of the Bible verse. Ready for action! I keep hearing how younger generations are activists and working hard to change the world. Do I feel the same inspiration to work for change, or am I cynical and complacent? Am I feeling that the work is pointless and won't accomplish anything, so I don't even try anymore?
This morning I checked my Kiva.org account, where I make small loans to people who are trying to change their lives, and I found that enough of my loans have been repaid that I could make more loans. This is one way that I try to limit the cynicism in my life so I am ready for action. I see the thousands of donors who provide capital for people who have made business plans to make a change. I see the loans get repaid as the entrepreneurs put their plans into action.
I made three new loans this morning, as my small way to take action and reduce my pessimism about the state of the world. Taking action helps me focus more on hope and less on despair. I want to be a person of hope, because I see Jesus Christ working through people with hope for the future - hope that Jesus will return, hope that Jesus is walking with them daily. I want to be a person walking with Jesus, spreading hope. Clearing my mind and getting ready for action are ways I can engage with Jesus every day.
Is your mind clear? Are you focused on hope and Jesus? Are you ready to take action? Great! If you aren't, think about what is getting in your way, and pray for the Holy spirit to remove your road blocks, so you can step forward in hope with Jesus. Amen.
Kiva.org is a website that collects the loan requests from entrepreneurs in over 125 countries. Each loan recipient is working with a local business development group to develop a business plan and take action to complete their plans. I have had more than 90% of my loans repaid since 2007. My loans are not donations or gifts and recipients have a plan for repayment. Kiva fills a gap in capital funding where banks are not interested in providing capital for business expansion.
