It was his senior year of high school and accounting was the last class period of the day. He had gotten an ‘A’ the first quarter of the spring semester and rationalized that if he did not go to class the second quarter, the grade would average out to a ‘C’. That would be good enough to graduate. His focus was on having an extra hour of tennis practice.
When the accounting teacher gave the young man a failing grade for the semester, the principal called him to the office and asked, “What were you thinking?” As he worked to explain the rationale behind his thinking, prioritizing his passion for tennis, the principal cut him short saying, “That is not right thinking. That is wrong thinking!”
Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. – Philippians 4:8. Paul is talking about right thinking, to think about things grounded in a biblical perspective. To think on whatever is true in today’s world requires discernment. Only time in Scripture will provide the lens through which we can begin to view the revealed truth of God’s word. We are charged to think about things in which there is any excellence. In his Truth for Life devotional, Alistair Begg writes, “The word Paul uses for ‘excellence’ is the Greek word arete, which is the most comprehensive word in the Greek language for ‘virtue’. Paul gives us the standard against which we can judge our thought patterns on a regular basis. We can look to God’s word and ask, ‘Is what I am choosing to think about, and the way that I am choosing to think about it, in line with moral excellence?’” The plethora of distractions coming at us through the various media do not typically promote ‘moral excellence’. It is easy to rationalize watching a certain movie or program, tuning-in to hours of the 24/7 news or allowing a contrary opinion to stir up anger. “Sin (the devil) is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, and you must rule over it.” (Gen.4:7). In 2Corinthians 10:5, Paul charges us to “bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” Be disciplined and stay focused in right thinking.
Right thinking would have made it easier for the young man to graduate with his class. Today, right thinking will stop empowering the devil to carry out his schemes to distract, deceive, kill and destroy. Right thinking will always honor, point to and glorify God. Tips for Right Thinking:
- Be sensitive to what frustrates or titillates, and rule over that media;
- Rebuke thoughts that are not true, honorable, just and pure;
- Keep working on the degree to which you are ‘All In’ – Dad Talk, March 5th;
- Have a battle-buddy group to be vulnerable with and accountable to.
Prayer guide: Lord, thank You for Your Word and the authority it grants the believer. I confess my thinking has long been under a worldly perspective. Whatever I could rationalize I would justify, not realizing how unhealthy it was. Forgive me. Grant me strength to be disciplined in my thoughts and focused on all that is true, honorable, just and pure. Help me set a path forward to be ‘All In’ with You. That is the dad You call me to be and that’s the dad my kids need to see. Amen.
A faithful father is disciplined and focused in right thinking.
