A One-Track Mind

“²²For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,”  1 Corinthians 1:22-23

What if it were said of you that the you were a man or woman that had a one-track mind?  How many of you would be flattered by that statement?  Not many I presume!  This statement is most usually used to shine a negative light on a person.  But that being said, I am sure everyone of us have fallen prey to a one-track mind at one time or another.

When Steph and I were just married she would very often pack me a lunch to take to work.  Since she left for work before me she would always place the brown paper bag containing my lunch on top of my work boots so I wouldn’t leave home without it.  This was a very thoughtful and well devised plan.  There was only one problem.  More often than not, in my haste to leave for work, I would remove the pesky lunch bag from atop my boots and walk out the door with the lunch tossed aside in the corner.  I think there is a saying about “best laid plans”!  You see, my only goal at 6:30 in the morning was not being late for work.  What I was going to have for lunch was the furthest thing from my mind.  I had fallen prey to a one-track mind!  Something that has been my nemesis for many years!

But is having a one-track mind always a bad thing?  I would venture to say that the answer to that question is always “yes”, except in one case.  As Christians, we are not only all called to have a one-track mind, but our one focus should actually all be the same.  What is this one focus?

  Soul winning!

“It is a grand thing to see a man thoroughly possessed with one master passion”  – C. H. Spurgeon 

In truth, every Christian should have a one-track mind!

You see, in this life there are many things that vie for our attention.  There are worldly interests that seem to have a greater hold on our lives than they should.  We all know of areas in our lives that we must let go of more and more.  But I have also noticed that there are “good” pursuits that seem to take up more of our time than they should as well.  Doctrinal and theological study, raising our children and offering them opportunities in this life, working on our marriages, pursuing a good job and the list could go on.  While these things may be important, the goal of soul winning should be laced throughout everything we do in life.  While raising a family, a good marriage and doctrinal study and theological principles are important things, they are not THE thing.  I am afraid that we far too often substitute these “good things” for our true purpose for being called by God…

  To preach Christ crucified.

We far too often seek out wisdom by studying and learning “good things” while neglecting wisest thing of all…

“³⁰The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise wins souls.”  Proverbs 11:30

He who wins souls is wise!  God’s standard for wisdom is winning souls!  If you as a mother or father are raising your children without the main purpose being winning their soul for Christ then you are not wise.  If you are studying theology and doctrine from dusk till dawn yet do not win souls for Christ then for all of your knowledge you are not wise.  If you are working in a job just to get a paycheck and yet do not win souls then your time is being wasted.  He who wins souls is wise!

Brothers and sisters, we are called to have a one-track mind as Christians, to preach Christ crucified!  This one passion should invade every space in our lives.  It should never be the afterthought, it should always be the only thought!  Everything else is secondary.  This is no easy task, I understand that, but Jesus never promised that the Christian walk would be easy.  So, in light of all of this, the question then becomes…”Do you have a one-track mind?”  Is it your goal to preach Christ crucified and win souls for Christ no matter what you might be doing?  If not, then by God’s standard are you wise or a fool?

Yours in Christ,

Pastor John