There was this green and clear plastic cage that would house a gross, fuzzy caterpillar that the elementary kids picked from some weeds. If this insect got enough food, sunshine and water, eventually it would wrap itself in a cocoon and transform. It was a very simple and yet complex process that we all learned at a young age. The caterpillar always changed into a butterfly. We learned that transformations were not only possible, but they were beautiful.

This is how transformations in Christ look. Our old selves are stripped away and our new selves are created…and it is beautiful. This creation of being in Christ is something that causes a complete change.

Not only is this truth something that saves us, but it is something that changes us. If you know the Gospel and the truth of Jesus, and it doesn’t change you, then you don’t know it. The call of Christ is something that wholly changes you from the inside out.

Our lives should reflect the amazing change that Christ does. From the inside-out our lives should look different.

Colossians 3:1-17

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

“Dear God, I want a good job… (pause here for effect)…amen.”

Every now and then our prayers sound a lot like this. We ask God hoping that our dream job will be given to us. Maybe it’s not our dream job, maybe it’s our dream house or even our dream spouse. We have these ideals for our lives, however far from God’s calling we are.

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul calls us to put our old selves away and be rebuilt within Christ. Paul says twice in the first few verses to set our hearts and minds on things above; also that we are the chosen people of God. God chooses us. When we accept that we are under God and that he is our king, only then will we be able to selflessly serve Him.

This passage continues to tell us that we should put to death the things that don’t glorify Christ; things such as sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed.

All of these things are contrary to the plans that God has for our lives. These things get in the way and fog our view for what God’s will is. Along with those things are anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language.

When we are transformed by Christ, all of this is to be removed from our life. However, our inherent desires are to fulfill the desires of the flesh. We have to actively fight against the ugly sin in our lives, which is only through the truth of Jesus Christ that we can be saved from the faults and brokenness.

Not only does Paul speak of all of the things to discard in our lives, but he also reminds us of all of the traits God’s chosen people should bear; compassion, kindness, gentleness, patience and forgiveness. This passage in Colossians tells us how we ought to dream and set our minds on things above (heavenly).

Our hopes, our dreams, our aspirations should be set on things of eternal value, which is in Christ alone. So when we dream, we need to turn our hearts and minds toward the glory of God. Through that, God’s marvelous and glorious plan will come to fruition in our lives.

Dear brothers and sisters, as we approach God with willing hearts as eager servants, may He who transformed our hearts become the center for all the glory.