Moment of Meditation: Be Transformed (Romans 12:2)

Original Broadcast: September 2008

Monthly Theme: Stewardship

Do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,
(Romans 12:2)

"Be Transformed"

St. Paul reminds us that Christians are to be in the world but not of the world. Jesus prayed for this while in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before He was crucified. But what does it mean to be transformed?

Transformation is really the opposite of conformation. Conformation is simply blending into the society that is around you. It's like a chameleon blending into the background for defensive purposes. Transformation is becoming something completely different. It's like Luigi on Cars talking Lightning McQueen into white-wall tires: "They say, 'Look at me! Here I am!'"

In our world today, Christians being faithful stewards tend to stick out. Why? They're allowing themselves to be transformed by the Gospel into the image of God so that they can "discern what is the will of God" and thereby become better stewards of God's gifts to them.

But just because we're not supposed to be of the world, that doesn't mean that everything related to stewardship is church-related. It simply means that the Church should be a beacon to the world around her. Being a beacon, she is still in the world working to proclaim the life-changing power of the Gospel to all mankind. Faithful stewardship tends to lead to great evangelism because the transforming Gospel is at work in Christ's people. Amen.