“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2).

The verse of the day today commands us to set our minds on things above.

The Greek for “set your minds” is one word, and it is written in the present imperative. That tells us couple of things:

• Present tense – this is an ongoing, never ending, in every moment we breathe and have our being, set our minds on the things above
• Imperative voice – this is a command. This is not a suggestion. This is not only a good idea. This is an order. If we are followers of Christ, we are commanded to set our minds on the things above

The reason why we are commanded to constantly set our minds on the things above, and not on earthly things is because we don’t think of things above naturally.

Earthly things we see without even trying. The tragedy of Afghanistan, the devastating destruction of Haiti’s earthquake, Hurricane Ida, the rising gun violence in our cities, the rising covid cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, the inability of our national leaders to come together to work toward what is best four our national interests, etc.

All of these things scream for our attention. We don’t have to look at them. They are in our face every time we open up the newspaper, listen to the radio, or watch television.

In fact, to not think of these things constantly, we have to avoid them.

But when’s the last time you just thought of Godly things, things above, things about the kingdom of God without trying?

See, these things, Godly things, eternal things, things that ultimately and truly matter, have to be intentionally brought up to our minds because they don’t just happen. We have to be intentional. We have to be purposeful. We have to call it up.

Take your eyes and set your minds on the things above, and not on earthly things. Be intentional about thinking kingdom thoughts. Make yourself think kingdom thoughts for kingdom thoughts are the only things that ultimately and eternally matter.

As a bonus, when you think kingdom thoughts, you’re going to have a much better day and you’re going to be a much better human being.

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24).

The Franklin expedition to the Arctic in 1945 is well known. All 129 officers and crew died.

Annie Dillard tells of the ill-fated Franklin expedition:

That odyssey was a turning point in Arctic exploration because of its well-publicized failure. The preparations made were more suitable for the Royal Navy officer’s club in England than for the frigid Arctic. The explorers made room on their ships for a large library, a hand organ, china place settings, cut-glass wine goblets, and sterling silver flatware instead of additional coal for their steam engines. The ornate silver flatware was engraved with the individual officer’s initials and family crests. Search parties found clumps of bodies of men who had set off to walk for help when their supplies ran out. ONe skeleton wore his fine blue cloth uniform edged with silk braid, hardly a match for the bitter arctic cold. Another apparently chose to carry with him the place setting of sterling silver flatware. What must he have been thinking to take sterling silver tableware in search for help and food?

One cannot imagine that any of these sail adventurers would have said, as they neared death on the frozen landscape, “I wish I had brought more silver place settings.”

Our hanging on to things that are ultimately useless will look no less foolish.

God has no problems with wealth or nice things. The problem is when we begin treasuring wealth and nice things over God and his people.

We are to use things to serve people. Too often, we get this backwards. We use people to gain more things.

The problem is there is not a single thing we can transfer over to the kingdom of God. Things are supposed to be used for God’s kingdom. And in that context, wealth and things are good things. It’s when wealth owns us.

Someone wise once said there are three conversions in a maturing Christian:

• the conversion of the heart
• the conversion of the mind
• the conversion of the purse

Jesus made it clear. “No one can serve two masters…You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24).

Friends, use what God has given you to bless others and to expand the kingdom of God. 

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21).

At the core of every breakdown of relationships and community is selfishness, pride, and ego. When individuals are more concerned about their personal rights than they are about personal responsibility to themselves and to others, relationships and community become impossible.

The verse of the day reminds us we are called to submit to one another.

Submit.

Moderns don’t like that word. It goes against much of what our culture values.

Submit.

It literally means to accept or yield to a superior force or to the authority or will of another person.

It means – I have rights and wants just like you. But for the sake of our relationship and, most importantly for the sake of Christ – I choose to yield.

It is only when we place our responsibility to one another and to Christ above our own rights that relationship and community become possible. When individuals insist on their personal rights above all others, relationship and community become impossible.

While the ordering of the words in our text has submitting to one another first, the reality is that submitting to one another is only possible when we submit to Christ first. It is because of our reverence and desire to honor Christ that we submit to healthy relationships and community.

It was God who created us to be relational creatures. It was God who declared, “It is not good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). God honoring relationships and communities trumps personal rights.

If we love Jesus, we love his children, we love his church, we love one another. Our commitment to one another trumps our commitment to personal rights.