A worldview (in German, ‘Weltanschauung’) is how we actually view the world and what we really believe to be the way things are. It refers to the framework of ideas and beliefs forming a global description through which an individual, group or culture watches and interprets the world and interacts with it.’ The predominant worldview in our modern Western society is secular humanism which is antagonistic to God and refuses to take Him seriously. That means we all grow up exposed to wrong thinking whereby the selfishness which is at such odds with God’s way of living is promoted as being the proper way to live: ‘you’ve got to look after number one!’ is the mantra we hear all around us on a daily basis.

For us to grow spiritually, we have to realise that the worldview to which we have been exposed every day is false and we need to have our minds renewed so that we can learn to think God’s thoughts, to think like God thinks, and to allow the mind of Christ to dwell in us. (Rom 12:2) Far from being out of touch with reality, Christians are really people who are completely in touch with reality, because they are in touch with the God of reality. This is where the whole idea of paradox comes to the forefront, however, for how God acts in the world defies our reasoning and common sense and if we desperately try to hold on to human reasoning and common sense without ever making room for faith, we will not grow up.

In God’s kingdom, the first will be last (Matthew 19:30), the least will be the greatest (Luke 9:38), life comes through surrender and death (Mark 8:36, John 12:24-25), God’s foolishness is wiser than man’s wisdom and His weakness stronger than man’s strength. (1 Corinthians 1:25) For us to grow up, we have to accept God’s way of doing things (even if this doesn’t make any sense to us!) and respond to Him by faith. When challenged to do something God’s way (eg to forgive a hurt, or to tithe our income, or to turn the other cheek), we have, in essence, to say ‘I don’t see how this way of doing things can work, God, but if that’s what You tell me to do, that’s what I will do.’ If we decide we will do it our way and not obey God because His way seems frankly ludicrous to us, we will never grow up… and we will miss out on the miraculous at the same time, for God’s ways works precisely because He works, and He does that in ways that are marvellous to behold!