Let’s Think About That
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
They say that if one desires to stop worrying and fretting so much about, well, mostly everything, then he or she must stop their “stinkin’ thinkin'” which is keeping one’s mind focused on the negative and not really trying to focus on the positive. I know, I know, it seems that there is not a lot to be positive about in this old sinful world, but I think that sometimes we don’t like to think positively because we think that I as soon as we do, then something bad will happen. Things that happen to us that are negative almost always have a bigger impact than the good things that we experience. One of my former pastors told a story about a woman who put a roast in the oven before she left for church. During the service, she constantly prayed that her roast would not burn. When she arrived home, the smell was not pleasant. She opened the oven door, smoke billowed out, the roast was burnt to a crisp, and she said, “Just as I thought”! That is what we call “stinkin’ thinkin'”!
I can be such a negative thinker that I wouldn’t dare put something on to cook and leave the house. One time a neighbor gave me some green beans from her garden. I prepared them to cook, put them in some water on top of the stove, and then went outside to do some yard work. Bad idea. By the time I remembered them, they were burned, and the pot was ruined. I had to throw them both away. That really wasn’t so much about “stinkin’ thinkin'”, but more about being forgetful. I stay inside when I have something on the stove because it is very easy to get distracted. Better safe than sorry.
Paul gave us some good advice when it comes to the things that we keep our minds focused on. To keep one’s mind focused on the Lord is to conscientiously keep one’s thoughts on those things that are pleasing to God and that give one a positive, godly attitude throughout life. Keep one’s thoughts on what is TRUE and HONEST. Don’t listen to Satan. Talk about “stinkin’ thinkin'”! He will fill one’s mind with lies, gossip, worries, envy, strife, and every other negative thought. And then, he just laughs at those he deceives. Stick with the truth of God’s word, and then you can resist Satan’s influence. Think on things that are JUST. We hear a lot about social justice, but what the secular world promotes is not necessarily righteousness. What is truly just is right, impartial, and fair, and would agree with God’s standard for justice.
Next Paul admonishes believers to think on what is PURE. Keep out minds out of the gutter. If we don’t feel right hearing or seeing something, then leave it alone, and that includes pretty much all of television, movies, and novels. There is hardly a television show where something immoral is not portrayed as normal and acceptable. Believers are to think on things that are LOVELY. We think of something we describe as lovely as beautiful or attractive to the eye, but here it means what is morally or spiritually attractive or gracious (Webster’s Dictionary). For example, lovely in this sense is to not be afraid to stand for godly principles regardless of the cost or to deny oneself something in favor of another person.
The last thing that Paul mentioned was things of GOOD REPORT. Don’t you just get tired of all the bad news that just keeps coming day after day. We live in a sin-cursed world, so it is not surprising that most everything we hear is negative. They say that good news is no news, but why can’t they fill those slow news days with some positive and uplifting stories? Newscasters do once and a while but not enough because there has to be many good things happening that we never hear about. They say, “if it bleeds, it leads” the newscast. Some people love to hear bad news as long as it is not their bad news. On a personal level, we should make it a habit to look for the good in others rather than dwelling on their faults. No one, other than Christ, is “good” by God’s standard (Romans 3:12), but we can help folks come to know Christ by emphasizing His goodness and how much He loves them rather than emphasizing all of their faults.
When we concentrate on godly things, we show forth virtue, a moral excellence and a godly character which leads us to praise God for it is He who gives us the ability to think rightly and act accordingly. We should always strive to keep God in the forefront of all of our thoughts and actions. If we do, we can avoid veering off the path of righteousness.