Set Your Mind
Justin LaCasse
October 12, 2021
“Set your mind on things above, and not on earthly things”
Colossians 3:2
One psychologist after years of research and study has discovered that we basically operate from one of two different mindsets. The first, the fixed mindset, is one that is stagnant and prone to pride, defensiveness, and surrender. The other, the growth mindset, is flexible, willing, and overcomes even the most daunting challenges.
How do you set your mind? To new tasks? When dealing with new people? When facing challenges? How and why our minds are set will lead to the way that we engage in the world around us, producing either good or bad fruit.
Let us look at the parable of the talents to flesh this out a bit. We see in the Gospel of Matthew that there are three different servants who are entrusted with their master’s wealth. The text makes a clear and significant declaration, that the master gave each man, “according to his ability.” This can not be missed or misunderstood. Each man had potential, the master noted that they were all able, but what’s more, he entrusted each one of them. So what separates the first two from the last?
It is important to note that a talent was the equivalent of about 20 years of a day laborer’s wage. We are talking about a vast amount of wealth here. This serves to highlight the character of the master, who should be seen as trusting.
We are told that the first servant, who was entrusted with 5 talents, put the money to work and made five more talents. The second servant, who was entrusted with 2 talents, likewise puts the money to work and made 2 more talents. The third servant, the one with a fixed mindset, decided to do something much different. Instead of making an investment, he makes a deposit (in the ground) and hides the talent. Why?
The fear of the master had paralyzed the servant into laziness and apathy. It distorted the man’s perception of the master. Instead of seeing him as wise and trusting, the servant saw him as hard. The fixed mindset (earthy mindset), limited the servant’s belief that he was able to do anything of value with his talent.
Have you ever wondered if it would have been better for this servant to have at least attempted something with the money, even if it didn’t result in gain? Certainly, the master would have been pleased if only it was deposited in the bank to collect simple interest.
The first two servants had set their minds on things above (growth mindset) and thus were able and willing to invest the money. Their mindset allowed them room to go to work, trusting that the master’s view that they were able would empower them to see the fruit of their labor. The risk was minimal for them because they were in the right relationship (righteousness) with their master, and in the right mindset (growth) and relationship with the money. It also demonstrates to us that what your mind is set to will empower action (labor) for the growth mindset, and inaction (laziness) for the fixed mindset. We also learn that as a result of the right mindset, and right action, these servants share in the master’s happiness.
Again, let us not miss the significance of this. The heavenly Father’s heart is illuminated here for us. He gives to us so that we might share in His work and His joy. This is a demonstration of a type of life that Peter explains by saying, “You believe in Him and are filled with and inexpressible and glorious joy.”
The last servant misunderstood the faith that was placed in him to be fruitful and mischaracterized the relationship the master had with him (trusting). His mindset choked out his belief in the master’s goodness, the belief that he was able to harvest just as the master has, and thus he became unwilling and unable to act. This fixed mindset kept the man from enjoying and experiencing the happiness of the master.
We are called to set our minds on heavenly things, the most significant of which is our relationship with the Father. Instead of servants, He calls us His sons. Instead of entrusting us with earthly riches, He has entrusted us with His life and light. How then should respond?
The person with a fixed mindset will be fearful and skeptical of the Father’s intentions, not believing that he is empowered by the Spirit to live as he ought. The person with a growth mindset will trust in the Father’s goodness and love, and as such will be willing vessels to live as we are called.
Ultimately, The Father entrusts us with heavenly realities (seeds) that we are then empowered to plant and care for in order to bring about fruit. It requires work on our part, and He gives to us according to our ability (often this means He gives us more than we think we can handle). His desire is for us to share in His happiness, dining on the fruits of our labor with Him.
Practically speaking then we can practice the discipline of “setting our minds,” through reflection, mediation, and action.
Reflect on the Father, His heart, His love, His faithfulness, and the trust He places in you to be fruitful. When we take the time to set our minds on the One who loves us, to think as He thinks, and see as He sees, we position ourselves to act as He would. When our minds are set on Him, we reflect His glory.
Meditate on His Word, that which He calls you to, and that which He commands. Not simply just in reading the Word, but by giving thoughtful consideration to what He is saying through it, by the power of His Spirit. By setting our minds on the Word, it becomes flesh in our lives, we become living epistles.
Take action in doing these things in obedience as true sons in His house. A set mind will produce an ordered and obedient action that is lived out practically in the real world. It is not simply enough to know the truth, we must walk in it.
Set your minds on things above, for by doing so you will experience growth (harvest), and joy as you share in communion with the Father, as sons.
