Covey’s Habit #7 – Sharpen the Saw
Christian Habit #7 – Renew your mind

Dr. Covey enlists the habit ‘Sharpen the Saw’ as the 7th habit in his series. This habit is about balanced self-renewal and continuous improvement. The Bible commands us that we should not be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed. How can we be transformed? By the renewing of our minds.

What does it mean to renew our minds? It means that we ought to ‘think differently‘
This means that we must

  1. not merely focus but fix our thoughts on things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy.
  2. think in a humble manner, less about ourselves and more about others; Put on the mind of Christ Jesus, who being in the very nature God, did not consider it right to be made equal with God, but humbled himself, even to the point of death, death on the Cross.

Point(s) to ponder:

Have you ever seen a butterfly sit and eat leaves as it did when it was a caterpillar? I have not. The butterfly does not think like a caterpillar. It is a new creation. Likewise, when we accept and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, we become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) and ought not to think like our former selves.

The Bible counsels us that we ought to graduate from being babies (from milk) to grown ups (to meat).  We need to think and act as adults, not babies. Not just in some things, but in ALL things, we are to grow, just as Jesus did. Jesus grew up in wisdom, in stature and in favor of God and man. To be a highly effective Christian, we need to grow lest we remain spiritual dwarfs, a spectacle for the world to be amused about. Our transformation (metamorphosis) should be accompanied by growth and this begins by the renewal of our mind.

Ephesians 4:11-15,22-24 (KJV)
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
…
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Philippians 4:8 (KJV)
8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.