A witness had been called to testify. As he spoke, the judge listened very carefully. At one point he said, “I think, your Honor…”
The judge immediately stopped him and said, “We don’t care what you think. Simply tell us the facts!”
“But, your Honor,” he said “I can’t talk without thinking.”
What a difference a word makes. And what a different world this would be if our minds were filled with kind and gracious thoughts. It is a known fact that what we think about is what we say and what we do. Our words and actions show others our thoughts and feelings.
We get some great advice from Paul. He said that we are to “fix our thoughts on what is true…honorable…right…pure…lovely…admirable…excellent…and worthy of praise.”
Whenever we speak harsh words about others or do unkind deeds toward others it comes from the thoughts we have stored up in our mind about them. It is so easy to program our thoughts with the opposite of what Paul wrote. When we watch the news, read newspapers or magazines or even talk to friends, kind words on noble deeds are rarely the main topic of conversation.
Paul set the standard for the way Christians are to think and act. What keeps you from following his advice?
Prayer: Help us, Father, to fill our minds with things that are pleasing to You so that we reflect Your grace. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Scripture for Today: Philippians 4:8-9 if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
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