Where does you mind dwell? What kind of thoughts occupy your thinking most to the day? It’s an interesting question to which most of us would probably reply, “I haven’t really thought about it.” The Apostle Paul encouraged the people who were the church in Phillipi and the people who are the church here today to think about what you think about. So let’s think about what we think about together this morning.
Let’s begin by thinking about what the Apostle Paul thinks we should think about. He uses eight words to help us understand what he thinks we should think about. Let’s think about them.
First, the Apostle Paul says we should think about “whatever is true.” He assumes that there are some ideas that are true. True no matter what your perspective. True for a conservative and true for a liberal. True for a Christian, true for a Jew, true for a Muslim and true for an atheist. Truth is the opposite of falsehood. Paul does not specify the truths about which he wants us to think. He just assumes that there is truth out there, recognizable by all, and he exhorts us to think about it.
Second, the Apostle Paul exhorts us to think on “whatever is honest.“ New Testament scholars point out that the Greek word Paul uses here is better translated “venerable, honorable, or reputable.” As one scholar puts it: “The word, therefore, does not express precisely what the word honest does with us, as confined to business transactions, but rather has reference to what was regarded as worthy of reputation or honour; what there was in the customs of society that deserved respect or esteem. It includes indeed what is right in the transaction of business, but it embraces also much more, and means that the Christian is to show respect to all the venerable and proper customs of society…” So it is much like the first. Paul assumes there is a consensus in any society on the thoughts and actions that are respected by all. Paul encourages us to think on those things.
The third admonition is the think on “whatever is just.” That which is right in human relationships. One scholar says, “A Christian should be just in all his dealings. His religion does not exempt him from the strict laws which bind men to the exercise of this virtue, and there is no way by which a believer can do more injury, perhaps, than by injustice and dishonesty in his dealings.” So it does not matter how often you show up in church if your dealings with other people are unjust. If you treat others unfairly, your religion is mute. The Apostle Paul encourages us to think on that which is right in our relationships with others.
The fourth focus of the thoughts the Apostle Paul exhorts us to think on is “whatever is pure.” Morally pure in thought or conduct; decent and modest. Truth, justice and moral purity. Think on these things says the Apostle Paul.
“Whatever is lovely” should be the fifth focus of our thoughts. As one Greek scholar says: “Here it means what is amiable - such a temper of mind that one can love it; or such as to be agreeable to others. A Christian should not be sour, crabbed, and irritable in his temper for nothing almost tends so much to injure the cause of religion as a temper always chafed; a brow morose and stern; an eye that is severe and unkind, and a disposition to find fault with everything. And yet it is to be regretted that there are many persons, who make no pretensions to piety, who far surpass many believers in the virtue here commended. A sour and crabbed temper in a Christian will undo all the good that she attempts to do.”
Translators used several words to describe the Apostle Paul’s sixth virtue: Think on that which is “commendable, admirable, of good report, compelling, or worthy of praise.” “… not that Christians should make praise their aim but they should live so as to deserve praise.“ “Actions which all agree in commending, and which in all ages and countries are regarded as virtues. Courtesy, kindness, respect for parents.” Think on those things that are “commendable, admirable, of good report, compelling, or worthy of praise” says the Apostle Paul.
Seven and eight are “excellence” and “those things worthy of praise.” It’s as if the Apostle Paul adds these two words to include any virtue he might have overlooked. “If anything is excellent and worthy of praise, think on these things,” he exhorts the disciples of Jesus Christ. Eugene Peterson summarizes this way: “fill your mind and meditate on the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not to curse.”
Now why do you suppose the Apostle Paul wanted the people who were the church in Phillipi and the people who are the church here to fill their minds with such thoughts. We find a clue in the second chapter of this letter when he exhorts the Phillipian Christians to “think the same way that Christ Jesus thought…” Why? Paul says in verse 15: “so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.”
The Apostle Paul understood that if his Gospel message was to take hold in the Gentile world, then the disciples of Jesus Christ would have to live like Jesus lived. Their lives would have to be of impeccable moral character in order for the Gentile world to recognize the truth of Christianity. For only then would they “shine like stars in the universe.” It’s what Jesus was talking about when he said in the Gospel of Matthew: “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5: 16)
“It is to be remembered, that the men of the world, in estimating a man’s character, affix much more importance to the virtues of justice and honesty than they do to regularity in observing the ordinances of religion; and therefore, if a Christian would make an impression on his fellow-men favourable to religion, it is indispensable that he manifest uncorrupted integrity in his dealings. “ The Apostle Paul knew that hypocrisy among the believers would make it all the more difficult to convince the Gentile world of the truth of the Gospel. Emerson said it this way: “What you are speaks so loudly, I cannot hear what you say.”
And what was true thousands of years ago in the days of the Apostle Paul is just as true today. In the “crooked and depraved generation” in which we live, non-believers are constantly looking at the behavior of us Christians and saying, “What kind of people go to that church?” When our behavior is of good report, they are attracted to our faith. When our behavior is untrue, unfair, and not worthy of praise, they are repelled by our faith.
I have seen several examples of the latter in recent weeks. There is a man who is very active in the Cedar Creek Habitat for Humanity but who is not affiliated with any church. He and his wife volunteer their time in service to the community in many good ways, but have no interest in church. When I asked him about that, he told me that the man for whom he worked for so many years was a very religious, church going man, who was also as dishonest as the day was long. And that just turned him off to religion and church.
I saw behavior among good, church going people have the same effect on teenagers Friday in the parking lot of the Mabank High School. As a part of the Rotary Club’s “Make a Difference Day” the high school students had filled a bus with food for the hungry. The Rotary Club called all five local food pantries and the Family Resource Center to come share in the bounty of the young people’s generosity.
When I arrived at the appointed time, I found a rather tense scene. Several pick-up trucks were circled around the bus and volunteers from the food pantries were basically fighting over the food. Now it wasn’t a knock down drag out sort of fight, but you could feel the tension in the air. And several of the food pantry representatives were protesting that others were getting more food than they were. Indeed one of the groups had arrived early and filled one truck before anyone else got there. They had two more pick-ups positioned to fill as well. You could see in the faces of the teenagers who were unloading the food that they felt less than respect for these adults who were acting like children. I doubt that any of them asked, “What church do you go to?” because they were so impressed with the way our lights were shining.
And before we get to feeling too self righteous here at Aley, let me share some news that should give us reason to consider our own behavior. Let’s talk about “gossip.” In the past few weeks I have heard two reports from members of this congregation that disturbed me. Each of them had friends come to them who had apparently heard members of our church gossiping about the preacher. One of them had apparently sat next to two couples from our church in a restaurant. The preacher and his family were the topic of the conversation and the talk was less than positive. The other person’s friend had apparently heard the same gossip directly from a member of our church whom he would not identify. Now I won’t go into the nature of the gossip, but I found it interesting that each of the folks who reported the gossip ended their reports with the same question: “What kind of people go to your church?” And neither of them followed that question by asking what time the worship services were on Sunday morning.
It disturbed the Apostle Paul, it disturbs me and it should disturb every disciple of Jesus Christ when the behavior or attitude of one who seeks to be a disciple falls short of that goal. Of course, each of us must admit, that more often than not, our own behavior does falls into that category. I have been guilty of gossip and selfishness just like the folks I described earlier, as have most of you.
Paul’s exhortation is not intended to make us feel guilty and worthless, however. It is meant to remind us that we are all sinners who have fallen short of the example of the one we claim as our Savior and our Lord. To encourage us to admit our mistakes and ask for forgiveness. To remind us that all of us must be constantly vigilant to be certain that we think on the good and positive things the Apostle Paul emphasizes, “the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not to curse.”
So if that be our goal, how can we more often aim in that direction? How can we remind ourselves to concentrate on “the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not to curse.” Well, the first thing we can do is to make that our goal. And to begin to think about what we think about, to pay attention to the places our minds dwell.
I attended the Kick-Off banquet for the Henderson County United Way a couple of weeks ago. The speaker was the City Manager for Tyler Texas and he had an interesting idea for helping yourself overcome the habit of negative thinking. He gave everyone a large rubber band and invited us to put it on our wrist each morning. He suggested that every time we found ourselves thinking a negative thought, we give that rubber band a tug and “POW” pop ourselves on the wrist. He said before the day was over we would have broken ourselves of the habit of negative thinking. I don’t know if that “cattle prod” sort of motivation might work for you or not, but I do know a couple of you I would like use it on! There I go again with my negative thinking. (Pop my wrist!)
Seriously, what can you and I do to refocus our thoughts in the direction that the Apostle Paul wants us to focus. I must begin with an awareness of my thoughts. I must ask myself where my thoughts dwell and be honest with myself about the patterns of my thinking. I must admit to myself and my God when I find my thoughts dwelling in the worst places, not the best, in the ugly places, not the beautiful.
And following that confession, I must commit myself to focusing my mind on dwelling in places of “the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not to curse.” I must decide to take charge of my thinking, rather than allowing this “crooked and depraved generation” to control my thinking.
Our faith offers us a couple of strategies to take control of our minds: gratitude and prayer. The Apostle Paul writes these words in his first letter to the people who were the church in Thessalonica “…pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (5:17-18)
“Pray without ceasing.” (New King James) “Pray continually.” (New International) “Pray all the time.” (The Message) “Keep on praying!” (New Living Translation) “Never stop praying.” (Contemporary English Version) No matter which translation of that verse, the message is clear! But how do I do that when I am confronted with things I don’t like or things I disagree with or things that I really get upset about?
Jesus had a rather radical idea: Luke 6:27-28 (New International Version) 27"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” So if I am serious about relocating my mind, Jesus says I could start by praying for those whom I usually judge or criticize. “Thanks a lot!” (Pop my wrist!) OUCH!
OK. Let’s see. Instead of criticizing the politicians I disagree with I could pray for them. What would that sound like? “Lord, you know I think this guy is completing off track, out to lunch, crazy as a loon, but he is a child of God just like me. So I lift him into your strong and gentle arms. Give him the wisdom, the compassion and the courage to hear your word and do your will. And give me some of that too…along with a little more patience, please!”
Would you willing to give that a try when you think of the Mayor of New Orleans, of the looters, or the Red Cross, or FEMA, or whatever it is that upsets you and places your mind in the worst places, not the best, in the ugly places, not the beautiful?
Then there is gratitude. When I find my mind thinking thoughts which give me a “sour, crabbed, and irritable in temper,” I can choose instead to “give thanks in everything.” I can look for the silver lining, the positive, the good, “the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not to curse.”
Gratitude is Jesus’ second suggestion for relocating our thinking. Cathy, my bride, is my best example of that. When she writes the checks each month, she doesn’t call those little pieces of paper that come so regularly in the mail “bills”, she calls them “blessings.” She thanks God for electricity and water and food and automobiles and insurance and gasoline…even when it is so expensive. Some folks don’t have gasoline, or water or lights. Some folks have to walk everywhere they go. They don’t have the opportunity to live in a country where all of us pay a little bit in order to provide roads we can all drive on, police who protect us and freedom to whine and complain about it all. I can promise to be like Cathy and find stuff I can be grateful for instead of moaning and groaning and whining and complaining.
So where does you mind dwell? What kind of thoughts occupy your thinking most to the day? There is one more reason that Paul gives us to think about what we think about. The ninth verse of our text says, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” “And the God of peace will be with you.”
In addition to living up to the example of our Savior and our Lord. In addition to shining like stars in the universe so that others might see our good deeds and praise our Father in heaven. We get a rather substantial bonus: the God of peace will be with us. “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4: 8)
And The Message puts it this way: “Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.” When we “fill our minds and meditate on the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not to curse.”
Isn’t that where each of us wants our minds to dwell. I have an idea: let’s all move into that dwelling. Somebody else has already paid the rent. Why not occupy that place of beauty and peace and joy and love? Think about it!
