Skip to main content

Thinking

           Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

True – in accordance with fact or reality.

Noble - having or showing fine personal qualities or high moral principles and ideals.

Right - that which is morally correct, just, or honorable.

Pure - not mixed or adulterated with any other substance or material.

Lovely - exquisitely beautiful.

Admirable - arousing or deserving respect and approval.

Excellent - extremely good; outstanding.

Praiseworthy – highly commendable.

Normal - conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected.

          Yes, I snuck a word in there. This morning, once again, I found myself struggling with Imposter Syndrome. Specifically, I was thinking my version of Pinocchio. I want to be a “real person.” I want to be “normal.” A thought from Genesis 3 came to mind… “Who told you that you are …” not real? “Who told you that you are…” not normal?

The answer to both is probably, “I told myself.” And I suspect the reason I started telling myself these things is that I wasn’t occupied. My mind could wander, and when it wanders, that’s the direction it wanders in.

Yesterday in church, my pastor preached on “The New Normal” and he gave the best answer I’ve ever heard to “What is normal?” For the Christian, it’s Jesus. He’s the standard, the norm, the usual, the type, and what is expected. He is the reality we are to emulate. It’s obvious. How could I have missed it? I didn’t. I just didn’t use those words.

But return to the other words. How often do our thoughts and our words not reflect what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy, or conforming to the norm set by Jesus Christ? I don’t think this means talking with a sweeter than honey voice and never saying anything that might offend someone. Jesus rebuked people. He didn’t change to suit people.

We need to raise our standard of thinking.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Saved?

  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:28-30) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ ” (Matthew 7:21-23) Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.” (Romans 3:4)   What conclusion do you draw when someone who was raised in a Christian family and church, perhaps even playing a significant role in a chur...
Post a Comment
Read more

Meditations of the Heart

  May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm19:14)           As I started writing this post, I noted that the meditations of my heart are all over the mental landscape, from a hub where eight superhighways come together to a lunar or nuclear landscape. Do you see my error? The moment I read the word meditation , I think about thoughts. But what’s described here is the meditations of our hearts ; our wills.           While the meditations of our minds may be all over the place, the meditations of our wills tend to be a little more stable by the time we are adults. We no longer tend to want to pursue the ten separate careers we did in any given day as children. Part of this is humble acceptance of reality. We come to understand that we can’t do it all. I think another part of it is disappointmen...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Shepherd!

                 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep . (John 10:14) God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” (Genesis 3:14) The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths     for his name’s sake. Even though I walk     through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil,     for you are with me; your rod and your staff,     they comfort me. (Psalm 23:1-4) For the Jews, it was politically incorrect to make claims about yourself as a teacher (or possibly as anything else.) Teachers were expected to take pride in the...
Post a Comment
Read more