Way of Thinking / Way of Living

Some years ago, I remember listening to a motivational speaker talking about his experience flying, and the pilot describing the "attitude indicator" on the plane. Simply put, this "attitude indicator" is a device on the plane's console, that tells the pilot whether the plane is going up or down, in relation to the horizon. Being a motivational speaker, he latched on to this illustration, comparing it to our "attitude" in life, that also determines whether we are going up or down; succeeding or failing; having a positive or negative impact, in our sphere of influence. He used the phrase that "your attitude determines your altitude in life".

Deuteronomy 6:5 says, "...you shall love the LORD your God with all your (whole) heart, and with all your (whole) soul, and with all your (whole) might".

This type of word usage, in original Hebrew, was a poetic technique, to emphasize the same subject, in different ways, culminating with the third element being the climax. In other words, heart, soul, and might, all refer to different aspects of the whole person [i.e., what is internal (heart); what is displayed externally (soul - personality); what is the totality of resources available to the individual (might)] committed to God and His use of them.

This then, is word usage to describe all that a person has, and all that a person is, their totality; fully committed to the God they serve.

The word translated "might" is the Hebrew word (me'od), which is used 300 times in the OT, and almost exclusively as an adverb, expressing the idea of something that is "exceeding" or "muchness" (TWOT, Vol.1, p.487), but only 2 times is the word used as a noun; in Deuteronomy 6:5, and 2 Kings 23:25 [which is a direct quote of Deuteronomy 6:5, referring to king Josiah, and his devotion and commitment to the Lord ].

This word (me'od), when used as a noun, was understood to mean "wealth" or "property" [JPS Tanakh, Jewish Study Bible] and was translated, "You shall love Shema HASHEM, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your RESOURCES" [The Artscroll Series, Mesorah Heritage Foundation]. In fact, the word (me'od) [3966, Strongs], comes from a root meaning, "to rake together", implying "accumulation", of something. The parallel Assyrian word (mu'du) was used to describe, "abundance of treasures" (BDB) and Rabbinic interpretation translated (me'od) as "mammon".

When the OT scripture is quoted in the NT, there is an interesting development:

A) In Matthew 22:37, Jesus says, "...you shall love the Lord your God IN your entire heart, and IN your entire soul, and IN your entire thought".

1) He emphasizes that this level of devotion has to be "in" the totality of your person.

2) He substitutes (dianoia) [1271, Strongs]. for the Hebrew word (me'od), translated "might".

(Dianoia) is a compound word from (dia), [1223], meaning "through" and (nous), [3563], meaning the "mind" or "thinking", so that the meaning is "thinking through" something, reflection or meditation. (Dianoia) is not just the mind, but "the mind activated", our thought processes; how we think about something.

B) In Mark 12:30, the same account is repeated, only this time it is recorded that Jesus said, "...you shall love the Lord your God from OUT OF all your heart, and from OUT OF all your soul, and from OUT OF all your thought, and from OUT OF all your strength".

1) He emphasizes that the devotion is "out of" every aspect of our being, which sensibly had to be resident, "in" our person (Matt.22:37) for it to find expression "out of" our life.

2) He is quoted as including the word "strength" (ischys), inherent power and ability, paralleling (me'od), but again, with the addition of (dianoia).

3) The word "all" is (olos), [3650, Strong's], meaning, "completeness; totality; undivided; intact, nothing missing"

4) The nouns (heart; soul; thought; and strength) are all in the "ablative case", which is a grammatical term referring to the source of something.

The meaning, then, is to love God in totality out of the source of your whole heart; out of the source of your whole soul; out of the source of your whole thoughts (way you think); and out of the source of your whole strength. (Wuest, Vol.1, p.238).

The inference is that we can only love God when we have our origin in Him, and return back to Him, the love and devotion He has expressed toward us, in His covenant loyalty to us.

C) The third quotation of Deuteronomy 6:5, is a response by a certain legal expert, who questions Jesus as to how he should inherit eternal life, to which Jesus asks him, "...what has been written in the law? How do you read it?" [In other words, "how do you interpret it"] (Lk.10:26). The lawyer's response is basically the same as Jesus' previous statements:

"...you shall love the Lord your God from OUT OF all your heart, and from OUT OF all your soul, and from OUT OF all your strength, and from OUT OF all your thought..." (Lk.10:27).

The inclusion of (dianoia) with "strength" (ischys), for the Hebrew (me'od), means that Jesus was interpreting, rather than simply quoting the text, and based on the lawyer's response, this was a generally accepted interpretation by everyone versed in the OT scriptures. (Dianoia) was added to (ischys), and even used to include it's understanding, when it was used without (ischys) in Matthew.22:37, "...there being something of obscurity in the word (me'od), and so we might be apt to apply it only to our bodily or outward strength and might...Moses' words, therefore, are rendered...not strictly and according to the letter, ...but both according to their full sense and tenor, as also according to the common and received interpretation of that nation" (Commentary on the NT from the Talmud and Hebraica, Vol.3, p.105)

What is interesting, is that (dianoia), "way of thinking / how you think / thought processes", is used separately (Matt.22:37), and in conjunction with (ischys) [strength], to interpret (me'od), and this was the common and accepted interpretation of the scripture, not just by the lawyer, but by Jesus Himself.

(Ischys), [2479, Strong's], relates to inherent ability or strength; manifestations of power, though not necessarily demonstrated, but available. There is an internal resource that can be accessed.

In Mark 12:33, the scribe responds to Jesus' interpretation of Deuteronomy 6:5, saying, "...to love Him from out of the entire heart, and from out of the entire understanding, and from out of the entire soul, and from out of the entire strength...is more than all the whole burnt offerings and the sacrifice offerings".

In this verse, the scribe responds with the word "understanding" (synesis, 4907), instead of (dianoia). (Synesis) means the coming together of things, like the joining of two rivers, to become one. The idea is that of bringing thoughts together to come to a realization of what is true; a comprehension of reality.

In addition to the scripture saying that we need to love God "in" and "out of", the total source of our heart; soul; strength; and "way of thinking", what is even more exciting, in this regard, is that (dianoia) interprets (me'od).

By Jewish interpretation, and parallel word use, (me'od), when used as a noun, [as it is in Deut.6:5 and 2 Kgs.23:25], means "wealth; property; resources; accumulation (of goods); and abundance (of treasures)".

There are at least two observations to be drawn from this teaching of scripture:

1) The first observation is that we are to love God; be devoted to Him, with all our money; finances; accumulated wealth; or goods.

No matter what our level of income, we basically exchange time for money, as a means of living. We give a portion of our life, to earn money, no matter what dollar value we have established that our time, or that portion of our life is worth. The money represents our life, to the extent that we have exchanged a portion of our life, for that money or resource, and God asks us to love Him, or be totally devoted to Him, with all our finances, to give our life, back to Him.

In practical demonstration that all our wealth; resources; property; or goods, belong to Him, the God we worship, as a sign of that devotion and covenant with Him, asks for us to give back to Him, as the source of all we have, 10% (the tithe) and the first fruits, of our life. The tithe and first fruits given back to God are described in the scriptures (Malachi 3:8-12; Proverbs 3:9-10; Matt.23:23; 1 Cor.9:7-14; Heb.6:20-7:10).

2) The second observation, is that it is our thinking; how we think things through; our thought processes; and the bringing together of our thoughts, determines the accumulation of wealth; property; resources; or abundance of goods or finances, in our life; and accesses the inner strength or ability, that God gives us.

How you think will determine your success or failure in life. God is a God of success. He is not a failure at anything, and as His children, when we think His thoughts after Him, so that the source of our way of thinking has its origin in Him, following His directives; we receive strength, sourced in Him, to fulfill His word, His way.

God is our Father, our source of all that we are, and all that we have, and when we, in totality, with unreserved abandon, commit our lives 100% to Him, and learn to think His thoughts, He will absolutely cause our unlimited success in fulfilling the calling and purpose on our life.

In other words, thinking the way God thinks, about people; money; time; and resources, will produce wealth; property; goods, and material blessing in our lives. If we think how He thinks, we will succeed how He succeeds. If we are not succeeding in life, then we need to change our thinking, to tap into His resources, to produce His success.

How we think determines our success or failure in life.

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours