I am indebted to Irishman John Lennox, mathematician and Christian apologist, for the following insight. 

God teaches us to love him with all of our heart, soul and mind, said first in Deuteronomy 6:5 and repeated by Jesus in Matthew 22:37. 

What does it mean, however, to love God with all of your mind? 

Suppose for example, that an unbeliever asks you why you believe. Have you thought through your reasons for believing in God well enough to give them a respectably articulate answer? 

Consider that from the unbeliever’s standpoint, if your faith has not compelled you to use your intellect and your powers of reason to formulate an answer to the question of why you believe, then why should the unbeliever feel compelled to be influenced by your “thoughts” about God? 

This is especially true when Jesus’ apostle admonished us in 1st Peter 3:15 to sanctify Jesus as Lord in our hearts, always being ready to give a gentle and reverent answer for the hope within us. We must see Peter’s words for what they are; a clear and direct instruction to think! We must think enough of God, to think enough about God, so as to be ready to explain our commitment to God and to do so gently and reverently. 

Our faith is one thing and reason is another, but God is showing us that they go hand in hand. And why shouldn’t they? God, in whom we put our faith is the very one who made us reasoning beings. 

Love God with your mind! I challenge you to think about God in ways that prepare you to reach out to others, especially unbelievers, with his love.