Characteristics of a Mind Person
Works for God through thinking.
Likes to talk about God.
Has a strong ideology, a consistent clustering of values and beliefs.
Does not like to question values and beliefs.
Places great importance on other people.
Believes 'trust' to be an ultimate value.
Gives ultimate authority to other people: friends, Bible, ministers, etc.
Enjoys thinking about God and thinking about thinking.
Prefers Bible stories and biblical sermons.
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What does it mean to love God with our mind?
The 'mind' is the mental side of an individual who is capable of investing love in God. It is the way men and women think and reason about God. Using the mind to love God is the practice of theology. To love God with one's mind means an ability to think about God. Of course, a person cannot know God through the rational act of dissecting God. God cannot be broken down into segments of knowledge because God is a Person. And just as a person cannot think about another person in a completely rational way, neither can a person think about God in this manner. God as a Person in a relationship can be known or thought about only as a Friend. To love God with one's mind is similar to the concept of friendship, or the type of love called philia. It is the love of friendship in which one person learns slowly to know the other person. And the longer a person thinks about the other person, the less he or she knows that person. Theology's task is not to categorize and systematize the Almighty. Theology helps a person of faith know God better, just like friends. To be a friend means to share truths about one another. To love God with one's mind is the act of sharing truths with God as Friend. It is thinking about God and learning more about God through one's rational facilities.
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Biblical Examples of Loving God with Mind?
Biblical examples of this may be confusing because of the use of the word 'heart' to also mean one's 'mind.' There are numerous examples of this nonetheless. A great one is the mother of Jesus, Mary. She gives birth to Jesus and is visited by some local shepherds. After hearing their story about their angelic visit, Mary "treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart."[1] She thinks about God in this instance. She meditates on the miraculous birth and the events of her life. In other words, Mary is doing theology and she loves God with her mind. Psalm 119, which is a classic exhortation to love God with one's mind by keeping the law reads in vs. 9-16, "How can young people keep their way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; do not let me stray from your commandments. I treasure your word in my heart, so that I may not sin against you. Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes. With my lips I declare all the ordinances of your mouth. I delight in the way of your decrees as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts, and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word." This passage gives many ways a person can love God with mind. A person can seek, treasure, learn, delight, not forget, and meditate on the truths of God. All of these are ways to think about God; using one's rational side in order to know God.
The disciples of Christ are great examples of individuals wanting to know God more. The name 'disciple' means 'student'. They subject themselves to Jesus as their Teacher opening up their minds to Christ's instruction. Jesus teaches them on numerous occasions knowing their individual imperfections in their thinking on God. He wants them to know God better; to love God with all of their minds.
[1] Luke 2:19.
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