What's The Point?
When the World Looks at You, Who Do They See?
The world is growing increasingly frustrated with its own solutions to life's problems. Despite promises that more money, education, or housing would solve our deepest issues, people are discovering these things don't heal the pain in their souls. Instead of finding satisfaction, many are turning to temporary fixes - numbing pain through various means - only to find themselves more confused than before.
This frustration isn't new. King Solomon expressed it perfectly when he said, "I considered all that my hands had done and the toil that I expended in doing it. And behold, all was vanity and striving after the wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun."
Why This Frustration Creates Opportunity
When there are no answers "under the sun," people begin looking higher for solutions. This creates an incredible opportunity for Christians to demonstrate that real transformation is possible through Jesus Christ. But here's the key question: when people look at your life, do they see someone who's been genuinely changed, or do they see the same struggles they're facing?
The Old Self vs. The New Self
What Does the Old Self Look Like?
Paul describes those who don't know Christ as having minds "darkened in their understanding" and hearts that have become "callous." Like physical calluses that form after repeated injury, spiritual calluses develop when hearts experience so much pain that they lose the ability to feel properly.
This leads to two main behaviors:
Giving in to sensuality - pursuing sexual desires without boundaries, seeking feelings without commitment
Being greedy for impurity - constantly pushing moral boundaries further, needing more extreme content to feel anything
The Problem with Keeping the Old Self Nearby
Many Christians make a critical mistake: they take off their old self but keep it close by, ready to put it back on when they think it will help them "relate" to the world. This might look like:
Joining in crude jokes to fit in
Watching the same explicit content as non-believers
Adopting worldly habits to seem "relatable"
Highlighting past sins to avoid seeming "holier than thou"
Why Being "Relatable" Isn't the Answer
The World Doesn't Need a Mirror
When you try to look just like the world to reach the world, you're not helping anyone. A struggling person doesn't need to see someone else struggling in the same way - they need to see someone who has found freedom from that struggle.
Think about it this way: teenagers don't need adults to act like teenagers. They need mature adults who show them what they can become. Similarly, the world doesn't need Christians who mirror their problems - they need Christians who demonstrate that transformation is possible.
What the World Actually Needs to See:
Your compassionate heart
Your renewed mind
Your sanctified desires
Evidence that freedom from destructive sin is possible
A living example of Jesus' transforming power
Have You Let Your Sanctification Stall?
What Is Sanctification?
Sanctification is the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit that transforms you from the old self into the new self. It's not instantaneous - it's a process that continues throughout your Christian life. The question is: are you still moving forward in this process, or have you settled for being "good enough"?
The Danger of Being Half-Baked:
Paul gives specific examples of ongoing transformation:
Replace falsehood with truth-telling
Transform anger into righteous responses
Turn stealing into generous giving
Change corrupting talk into words that build others up
Remove all bitterness, wrath, and malice
The goal isn't partial change - it's complete transformation. As Paul says, "Let ALL bitterness and ALL wrath and ALL anger and clamor and slander be put away from you."
Give No Opportunity to the Devil
Here's why complete transformation matters: whatever Jesus hasn't transformed in you becomes a tool Satan will use to destroy you. Those unsanctified areas of your heart become entry points for temptation and spiritual attack. Every trace of the old self that remains gives the enemy ammunition to use against you.
The Church's Role in a Frustrated World
Being Different Makes a Difference
When the church truly lives differently from the world - when we demonstrate unity in diversity, genuine care for one another, and real transformation - we become a beacon of hope. We show that the solutions people are desperately seeking actually exist.
Representing What's Coming
The church serves as an example of what God's kingdom looks like. We're not perfect yet, but we're moving in that direction together. When the world sees a community of people who are genuinely being transformed by Jesus, they begin to believe that transformation is possible for them too.
Life Application
This week, shift your attitude from "this is just who I am" to "I'm on my way to who I'm becoming." Ask the Holy Spirit to show you areas where you've settled for partial transformation instead of complete change.
Questions to ask yourself:
When I walk into different environments (work, school, neighborhood), who shows up first - the old me or the new me?
What areas of my life have I kept "close by" instead of fully surrendering to Jesus?
When was the last time Jesus changed something significant in me?
Am I giving people around me a reflection of the world or a reflection of Jesus?
What would it look like for me to "give no opportunity to the devil" in the areas where I've been struggling?
The world is searching for something real, something that actually changes lives. God's design is that they would see it in you. Don't settle for being a half-transformed Christian - let Jesus complete the work He started in you, and become the hope-filled example that others desperately need to see.
