“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24).

Let me tell you a story.

A group of farmers in Columbia operated a cocaine field in a guerilla conflict zone. Those are a lot of dangerous things happening at the same time! Life as a farmer is hard. But then throw in the problematic issue of it being a cocaine field. Then add into the mix that it’s a guerilla conflict zone!

Then the farmers came face to face with the gospel message—that God had come to humanity personally in the person of Christ; that he had died in our place so that we could have peace and forgiveness with God; that he rose from the dead and triumphed over sin and Satan, and death and darkness; that in the free gift of faith his victory is ours; that we are called to walk in righteousness and holiness in the footsteps of our risen King while here on earth; and that God is renovating and restoring his creation making all things new.

As a result, the farmers actually shut down their cocaine fields. Think of how dangerous that would have been. They shut down a massive source of income for drug lords in the midst of a guerilla war zone. In other words, they risked their lives. They also risked their livelihood to grow coffee beans instead of coca plants.*

Jesus is a game-changer. The changes might be a bit different from person to person, but changes there will be. Paul uses the language of a “new self.” 

For some, that change will be dramatic, like it was for those farmers. For others, it will be less “newsworthy,” but still significant. I think of the parent volunteer who provides a level of help that struggling students would never receive at home. I think of the young man who sought help to fight his pornography addiction and now shares resources to help others do the same. I think of the grade ten student who started a prayer ministry for her school.

I also think of the one who chooses peace.
And character.
And honesty.

Let’s encourage one another in the ways we are different for the glory of God.

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Notes:

–*Mark Batterson, The Power of If: Excerpts from If (Grand Rapids: BakerBooks, 2015), 41.

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.