First Peter 1:13 tells us to “gird up the loins of our mind.” That seems like a strange statement, doesn’t it? But, Peter is merely using a phrase that is specific to his time in history to tell us that we have work to do….. “gird up” means to strengthen your ability. In biblical times, men pulled up the hem of their long garment; and tucked it into their waistband so they could do hard labor or run at a fast pace without their robe hampering their legs – or their ability
So, how do those of us who live in a different era, and use different idioms, figure out how we can interpret what Peter is telling us to do? What are we suppose to work on? A wonderful attribute of the Bible is that it doesn’t leave us hanging and wondering. We can find clues – that give us answers – in other places in the Bible. For example, the Ten Commandments – that are recorded in Genesis – show us that one of our tasks is to work at being in control of our behavior…. And, the apostle Paul talks about the same thing in Ephesians 4. Paul, a contemporary of Peter, defines how we can gird up the loins of our mind:
- Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires
- be renewed in the spirit of your minds
- and put on your new self; created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and Holiness
- Put away falsehood and lying – speak the truth with your neighbor
- Be angry, and do not sin – do not let the sun go down on your anger
- and give no opportunity to the devil
- Let the thief no longer steal – but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.
- Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths – but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear
- And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of Redemption.
- Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
- Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Peter and Paul ask us to be aware of what we put in our mind, and what words come out of our mouth – that is the job we are asked to work on as we gird up the lions of our mind.