The popular movie series Transformers is another series of alien/human interaction movies. Where most of the sci-fi movies portray the aliens as the “bad guys” this one has both “good” and “bad” guy robotic beings from the future — and the main character must take personal responsibility to change the outcome. He ends up trusting the “good” robot Optimus Prime and takes action to ward off the evil intent of the “bad” robotic aliens. The important change that takes place is not transformation of the robots, but the transformation from inaction and “waiting on the sidelines” of the main character, to one where he takes personal responsibility to act as a change agent. He leaves behind the conforming to traditional thought to embrace a new way of looking at things, and realizes his future ultimately depends on acting on the renewed mind. In short, he has a change of heart and decides to do something about it.

The apostle Paul wrote to the Romans to do the same thing. In Romans 12:2 he said “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” As events in the days ahead unfold, your chance to transform will come to pass. Will you take personal responsibility to act in love to one another, without fear? Or will you shrink in fear, as pawns on a chessboard, giving your power to someone else? The choice is yours.