Lenly is a friend who’s been ministering in Cambodia for the last ten years. And last week we had the privilege of having her as our guest. This was her very first visit to the U.S. And so we took the time to take her to the usual places we take our guests. With her permission, I relate this story.
One day we took her to visit the Napa Valley. We had stopped to take pictures at the roadside in front of a large sign welcoming visitors to the Napa Valley. While walking back to the car, we had to walk across a grassy patch of ground. Then it happened. My wife Grace observed that our guest very noticeably paused and hesitated before stepping into the grassy area.
In the place where Lenly serves in Cambodia, landmines are still scattered around the area. It has become part of the psyche of the residents there to be vigilant when walking around lest they step on one of those landmines. They are conditioned to stay within the well-worn paths and avoid grassy areas. Having stayed there for some years now, Lenly had adopted that sense of vigilance such that even when there was no danger her body instinctively reacted to the situation. The sight of the grassy ground before her signaled a warning message to her brain: grassy ground equals possible danger. She immediately went into survival mode. So for a moment she froze, and even tightly grasped Grace’s hand.
Then, of course, she realized that she was in a totally different context. The survival mode subsided just as quickly. After a good laugh, she was able to cross the grassy field without fear or incident.
This got me to thinking about how the conditioning of our hearts and mind does affect how we behave. We cannot ignore the power of the mind to control our actions. No wonder the apostle Paul writes about how essential it is to have our minds liberated from the enslaving influences of this world and to let the Lord renew and transform our minds, empowering us to discern and choose God’s “good, pleasing, and perfect will” (Romans 12.2). Likewise the apostle Peter instructs us: “Therefore, get your minds ready for action by being fully sober, and set your hope completely on the grace that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. Like obedient children, do not comply with the evil urges you used to follow in your ignorance, but, like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all of your conduct” (1 Peter 1.13–15 NET).
We would do well to make sure our heart and mind are set on the right thing so that we can escape enslaving falsehoods and be freed to walk the path of truth and righteousness (Colossians 3.1-17).
—Keith Y. Jainga