Simple Survey

Today, polls and surveys are used to gauge public opinion and define necessary action. Here’s a simple survey question: “Which is more important, physical health or mental health?” Obviously, both are important, and they affect each other. How would you answer the question? Jesus had a pretty good answer.

Mark 7:14-23:
And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:
There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.
If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.
And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;
Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?
And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

We should be concerned about a healthy diet and caring for our physical bodies. God built that into our make-up as people (Ephesians 5:29). But Jesus put things into proper perspective. Our heavenly Father is much more concerned about how we think and what we hold onto in our hearts.

Jesus understood how life works: you eat, your digestive processes pull out what is good, and your excretory system dumps what it doesn’t need. We all have to poop sometime. God designed the body to stay healthy if we give it food—it gets rid of the bad. But what about our minds? Do “bad thoughts” automatically go away?

Romans 12:2,3:
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed [translated from the Greek word metamorphoō] by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

We can see our thoughts transformed, metamorphized, by the newness we have in Christ. Just as a caterpillar dissolves in the cocoon and emerges as a completely new creature—we can “let go” of past and foolish thinking. We “put on the mind of Christ” by going to the scriptures and allowing the Father to teach us what we need to know. We can capture every thought to be Christlike.

II Corinthians 10:5:
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

Did Jesus have an easy time on the cross? What did he do with his mind? Where were his thoughts? He quoted much of Psalm 22 about what the Messiah would go through to redeem mankind. It was the joy of his resurrection and ascension that helped him keep his mind peaceful in the midst of such torture and death (Hebrews 12:2). Where should we put our thoughts today?

Colossians 3:2,10:
Set your affection [thoughts] on things above, not on things on the earth.
And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him [Christ in you is a new spiritual creation].

Let’s keep a healthy mental diet, on the things that God has done for us through His Son. Mental health has the greatest value and affects our physical health. [See “Words and Healing” for more details.]

That’s how Jesus answered the survey!