Bad Mind a Kill Dem

Phil. 2: 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus

I was quite amused the first time I saw a bumper sticker with the sign on it “Bad mind a kill dem. (meaning “bad mind is killing them”) Now that is a real Jam-down (Jamaican) expression. A bad mind is jealous of somebody else’s success. It wants more for itself and less for you. It tries to rob you of your happiness, not because it does them any good, but just because they can’t bear to see you happy.

Ever seen anybody who is always eager to hear the news about somebody if it is bad news? It is the “Heh hey! Pop story gi mi!” kind of mind. That’s bad mind; the kind of person who is quick to laugh when somebody falls down, who is quick to point out your mistakes and is smug when you don’t look so good; who always leaves you feeling a little worse after you’ve talked with them. It’s the person who is quick to take advantage of somebody who is weaker, poorer, less popular, or in unfortunate circumstances.

And you know what? Bad mind really will kill them. You see, the mind determines who the person is. In the mind of a person who behaves that way something is wrong. It could be that the person feels bad about himself because of guilt or anger or shame. He could be hurting from some kind of loss or abuse and instinctively tries to hurt others too. Whatever is the basic cause such persons are now cold and unloving, and the truth is, even if they look ok, they are usually very unhappy inside. Not being able to enjoy life they are in a sense “dead inside”

But there is another way they die too. The truth is, God can’t live inside a h. eart that is cold, selfish and unloving. That person will not be able to inherit eternal life and will be lost forever. Bad mind would have killed them.

So, if you know somebody with a bad mind, be sympathetic. It might be because he is sick inside. But also, if you find yourself becoming bad-minded, it is time to check yourself. It will kill you. Let us try to have the kind of mind that Jesus had: loving, kind and unselfish. This kind of mind gives life instead of death.