RESETTING OUR PREFERENCES (When We Default to Factory Settings)

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds"...Romans 12:2

"Repentance means more than being sorry. It means being different." ...A New Kind of Christianity, Brian McLaren

When I get a new device or download the latest version of an operating system or an upgraded software program, I spend time setting my preferences. For a period of time, life with my device goes smoothly. Then, inevitably something gets corrupted or there is a conflict or a bug. Forced to do a hard restore to resolve the issue, my device will revert back to factory settings.

I think about sinful behavior as a kind of default factory setting. Most of us want to be kind, loving, generous and gracious human beings. That is our preference for our lives. We want the same for our children. Yet, under stress, we revert to our factory defaults.

A thoughtless driver cuts us off and we automatically lay on the horn in self-righteous anger. We involuntarily roll our eyes when someone espouses a political opinion different from our own. We instantly criticize our co-workers because their ideas or organizational style does not conform to our way of doing things. And when our loved ones push our buttons, do we not immediately find ourselves mentally rehearsing their faults and failings and nursing our feelings of resentment?

Self-righteous, judgmental, critical and resentful thoughts arise by default when we are confronted with difficult situations. From there it is just a short step to harsh words and unkind deeds.

The point is not to blame or condemn but to recognize and accept the reality of our sinful nature—our default settings. Yet if we want to change, if we want to be different, if we want to widen our repertoire of responses to include patience, compassion, gentleness and forgiveness, we need help resetting our preferences. We need God’s grace.

The church in its wisdom set aside certain seasons of the church year for preparation and renewal. Lent is one of these seasons. It is a time for self-examination, the purpose of which is to bring to awareness the frequency with which we default to arrogant, self-righteousness, judgmental, critical and resentful thinking. Such self-examination is difficult. It is even more difficult to accept that we can’t, try as we may, change the way we are hard-wired.

The purpose of Lent is to make us aware of our default settings so that God can transform us—resetting those preferences. St. Paul urges us, “Be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” Note that St. Paul uses the passive voice. He doesn’t say,“Transform yourself.” Rather, he encourages us to be open to the power of God to change us, to renew our minds, to reshape us in God’s own image. Paul reminds us elsewhere in scripture that it is not by our own strength and resolve that we change but that, “It is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” If we want to be different, widening our repertoire of responses to include patience, compassion, gentleness, and forgiveness, it will be God’s work, not ours.

As we begin our Lenten journey, both individually and as a community of faith, let us engage in the self-reflection and repentance that marks a radical reorientation toward God. And may God renew our minds, refresh our spirits, and change our hearts.

Pastor Margrethe