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Most of us have heard the phrase, “You are what you eat.” Maybe not as many have heard the phrase, “You are what you think.” For this writing, I’ll leave nutrition matters to others and focus on Apostle Paul’s comments about thoughts. Romans 12 opens with a statement with 2 significant words:
Rom. 12:2 “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Transformed comes from the word that we get metamorphosis, to change into another form.
Renewing is a renovation or complete change (makeover) for the better.
Whatever Paul meant with the word renewing, it’s different from conforming. The term renewal is not found in Greek literature prior to Paul’s writings. But the principle is taught in Hebrew history. For example:
Psa. 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in me.”
So, here is a Monday Morning Condensed Bible Lesson:
Romans chapter 1 opens with the subject of thoughts and how they affect people.
Rom. 1:21 “They [the ungodly] knew God, but they did not give glory to God or thank him. Their thinking became useless. Their foolish minds were filled with darkness.”
Paul shows, “You are what you think.” Thinking became useless and foolish, hearts became darkened and their lives turned from God. Where did it start? It began in their minds.
Romans chapter 12 opens with the remedy using the progression in reverse.
Rom. 12:2 “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
How do we change what we do? We change our thinking because our actions begin with our thoughts. If there is no renewal of the mind there is only conformity with the world. Paul shows this again in a companion passage:
Eph. 4:17 “You must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.”
Their walk was their behavior, their actions. Their walk was the result of their thoughts. Our walk is no different. I had a bowl of ice cream last night. Why? Because I thought about having a bowl of ice cream. I then sat through an hour of HGTV. Why? Because my wife thought about watching an hour of HGTV and I thought if I sat through it with her, she might not notice I had a bowl of ice cream. Now, take that simple example and apply it to theft from a store. Why would someone steal? Because they first thought to steal. Why would someone vandalize property? Because they first thought of vandalizing. Why would someone try to assassinate a public figure? Yep, you got it! We feed our minds all the time. Good food produces good thoughts & actions. Bad food produces bad thoughts & actions.
When Myers-Davis 16 Foundational Values are printed, framed, and displayed they become easy-to-digest food for thought. As we see them, our minds absorb them; our thoughts then lead us to act on them. When this happens, we can truly say, “We are what we think!”
Phil. 4:8 “Whatever is good, right, true, honorable, pure, lovely – think on these things.”
And never forget you are greatly loved!
–Jackie Chesnutt, Chaplain and Emotional Support Coach for Myers-Davis (9/21/2026)
