Author: Christy Mendelow

Over the course of the recent two-part series, The Thinking of Men, we explored patterns of human thinking – how ideas form, how culture influences them, and how Scripture provides a steady and unchanging foundation. The conversation examined how easily cultural assumptions can become internal convictions, often without us realizing it.

That reality calls for maturity. As we mature – both as adults and as believers – hopefully, we will increasingly turn to Scripture more than friends, family, the news, or the latest social media post as we form an opinion, share a perspective, or make a decision. This does not mean we ignore counsel. It means Scripture is primary in shaping how we think.

Much misinformation abounds in the abyss of its availability. Once, face-to-face was the primary means of communication. Now it’s amplified by phone, text, email, social media, apps, mail, and even fax, if you can believe it. Information is no longer scarce. It is constant. It is immediate. And it is often emotionally charged. The sheer volume makes discernment more difficult.

And what we absorb, we will most likely repeat. For that reason, maturity requires that we become far more intentional about what we allow to shape our thinking.

In our maturation, we must pause and evaluate what we consume before it influences our thinking – and then what we are sharing, saying, and doing because of that thinking.

It makes me think about the Scripture in 1 Corinthians 13:11–12 (ESV):

“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”

Notice the “I thought like a child” part.

Paul addresses not just speech but also thinking and reasoning. In other words, maturity is not only restraint; it is cognitive growth. Whereas a child reacts quickly and absorbs without a filter, a mature adult evaluates and discerns.

With maturity comes responsibility. Notice the “When I became a man” part. There is a transition. We may learn it the hard way, but it is vital that we do. Responsibility with our thinking. Responsibility with our words. Responsibility with our actions. Putting away childish thinking does not mean losing innocence. It means gaining discernment.

If we notice we are still carrying youthful patterns of thinking, yet recognize it is time to mature, there is hope. Thinking can be developed. 

This is partly because the brain is remarkable. It is wired for efficiency, building patterns through repeated exposure. As we repeatedly consume specific narratives – political, cultural, relational, or theological – neural pathways strengthen. Neurons that fire together wire together. What we feed the brain, we will most often harvest in the form of belief and behavior. It all begins with thinking. 

Old pathways fade when not used. New ones grow stronger with practice. Scripture speaks to this: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
(Romans 12:2, ESV)

Transformation begins with renewal, which requires deliberate examination of what is shaping us.

This is where the think–feel–act cycle operates continuously beneath the surface. A thought forms – sometimes so quickly we barely notice it. That thought generates an emotional response. The emotional response drives behavior. The behavior then reinforces the original thought, strengthening the neural pathway behind it.

For example, if we repeatedly think, “Everything is falling apart,” anxiety becomes the emotional baseline. Behavior may shift toward control, withdrawal, and reactivity. That behavior confirms the original thought. The cycle tightens. But if the starting thought is anchored in the Truth – in what Scripture reveals about God’s sovereignty, our accountability before Him, and our limited understanding – the emotional tone changes. There may still be concern, but not panic. There may still be tension, but not chaos. The behavior reflects steadiness. Over time, that pathway strengthens instead.

So, now that we know that, what can we do?

We can learn new ways to evaluate our thinking and intentionally create new pathways, carefully choosing what sources we use as we do this. As Christians, the primary source is the Bible, and then we filter other influences through that to ensure alignment with God’s Word – including the counsel of others.

“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”
(Proverbs 11:14, ESV)

Counsel does not replace Scripture. It should reflect it.

We must become intentional about examining what informs us. What voices are shaping our reactions? What narratives are we rehearsing? What emotional tone dominates our responses? These questions are not accusatory. They are developmental.

And as we talked about in this series, we can also learn about the OODA loop, using it to slow down our thinking as we observe, orient ourselves, decide how to act, and then act.

Observe – what is actually happening?
Orient – what lens am I using to interpret this?
Decide – what response aligns with the Truth?
Act – move deliberately, not impulsively.

This process reflects maturity. It means stepping back for perspective and slowing down before acting. Neurologically, this pause engages the prefrontal cortex – our reasoning center – before emotion takes over. Spiritually, it lets Scripture, not pride, fear, or opinion, guide us. Putting this into practice forms new neural pathways, strengthens discernment, and builds steadiness. 

The thinking of men will continue to shift. Cultural ideas will come and go. But maturity calls us to responsibility for what we consume, how we think, and how we respond.

When we become adults – and especially as we grow in Christ – we are no longer passive recipients of the thinking of our age. We must become responsible stewards of our own thinking and that begins in the mind.