Context

In order to know how someone or something has changed, you have to know context. The name of my blog is metamorphoo, the greek word for transformed. For there to be a real appreciation for transformation, there has to be an understanding of context. Context is defined as a set of circumstances or facts that occur surrounding a given event or situation. If you consider a cocoon all by itself, you are not aware of what it was or what brought it to that point, or what it will be. I am purposefully using the middle stage here. Because Context is best understood as us looking at something where it is currently, without regard to what it was or what it will be. If you witness a caterpillar by itself, you are only witnessing one plain aspect of its life. If you see a butterfly, you might marvel at its beauty, but have no appreciation of what it took for it to get to this point in its life. When you are able to witness the life of a caterpillar to the point of cocoon, cocoon to the point of butterfly, the process of metamorphoo (transformation), can be fully appreciated.

Christians also go through a process of metamorphoo. Romans 12:2 uses the word metamorphoo when it says, "Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,....." Simply, we can literally see the growth of the Christian through the transformation of their mind. And with that we see Context.

Sometimes in this Christian life, we look at each other without considering what brought us to the point in life that we are currently in. Too often we do not take interest in what has brought us to the point we are in life. What events, circumstances, situations have already occurred? What has made you who you are now? What is your Context? Obviously, we can't know what comes in the future, but knowing the past and present help us to really appreciate what that future will be.

I love to hear other Christian's share their testimony. It is simply metamorphoo. How God has taken what someone was and transformed them into something new. Not all transformation is night and day kind of drastic, some transformation is in little things in life. Regardless of the "size" or dramatic difference, it is metamorphoo. Too often Christians are afraid to share their testimony. It is not what we can creatively make dramatic, it is the simple knowing and communicating of how God is working in our lives and transforming us.

I will be sharing how God is working in my life. The metamorphoo that has taken place, the metamorphoo that is taking place, and what the goal of that process is. The Context is important. It is what allows us to fully appreciate God's work.

It is too easy for us to not be at all interested in each other. We are too often so wrapped up in ourselves, that we do not take the time know each other. When I say that, I do not mean, know things about each other, but truly know the context of each other. Otherwise we are continually missing the beauty of the process of metamorphoo. Sadly we can often be so wrapped up in our own life events that we even miss that metamorphoo for ourselves too!!

So, how is God working in my life? How am I being transformed by the renewing of my mind?

What is your context? What about the context of those around you? Take some time to invest in and know both.