"Think about such Things"... (intentional thoughts)
"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
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This verse was branded into my brain by my mother growing up. Whenever we would complain, boom. Whenever we would criticize, boom. Whenever we would feel pitiful, boom. Whenever would would talk about other people negatively, boom. Whenever we we would feel letdown, boom. It was always hanging on the tip of her tongue like the morning dew.
It is good for me to "think on such things". I'm always "thinking about things", so it's important to choose what I'm thinking about rather than just letting nature run its course. So here we go...
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"Whatever is True" - God, help me to be able to separate what I feel from what is real. I don't want to spin truth myself or readily believe doctored facts...give me the whole truth and nothing but the truth, Lord. And help me defend the truth even when other people feel better about believing a lie cause it's just more convenient and expedient and relevant in the moment. Help me to love what is true.
"Whatever is Noble" - God, help me to seek and see the respectable virtues of life. To point out the things that speak to the dignity of humanity instead of focusing on the lowest common denominators that are, quite frankly, low hanging fruit. I want to champion the the cause of being civil in discourse and honorable in disagreement. This is not easy in a world of divisiveness, but this is my calling, Lord. Help me to love what is noble.
"Whatever is Right" - God, help me to do things because they are simply right. Even if the short-cut is faster or more profitable, set my sights on the rights even when the wrongs seem so seductive in their payoff. Give me a passion to come to that fork in the road every day and choose righteousness over political correctness or social acceptance...for your truth endures to all generations and it's not about to give out now. Help me to love what is right.
"Whatever is Pure" - God, help me to passionately pursue purity in my innermost being. Not just a external display of integrity and honestly, but a deep-down goodness of the heart. Help me to have pure thoughts, pure motives, pure responses, pure words, and pure actions. Even when purity seems prudish in a society that views it as old fashioned or unenlightened, draw me back to the innocence and tenderness and sensitivity of heart that listens to my conscience and feels conviction, Lord. Help me to love what is pure.
"Whatever is Lovely" - God, help me to chase after love with all that is within me. Let me see the lovely in the unlovely and unloveable. Help me to be love to a world that experiences conditional acceptance and temporary approval...make me a bastion of love for people to rely on when they feel like hate is winning and love is losing. Let the light of love shine like a beacon on the break wall inviting everyone into the safe harbor of my heart and out of the waves of malice and meanness that beat people up. Help me to see love and be love, Lord. Help me to love what is lovely.
"Whatever is Admirable" - God, help me to look for the beautiful facets of life that often get overlooked. I want to point out to people what I aspire to be and admire in them, hunting for things to "look up to". It doesn't seem like we have much or many to look up to around us, but help me to be on the lookout for it and point it out to others when I find it. In a world of trouble-shooters, help me to be a beauty-shooter, Lord. Help me to love what is admirable.
"Whatever is Excellent" - God, help me to not settle for whatever life seems to value at any given time. If we've gotten used to calling something amazing that is really debased, help me to shine a bright light on what is "the best" choice. Not just a decent thing, or an acceptable thing, or a reasonable thing, or a good thing, but "the best, most excellent thing". Help me to keep excelling in good things when it's tempting to stay dwelling on bad things, Lord. I want to see the best and give my best, nothing less. Help me to love what is excellent.
"Whatever is Praiseworthy" - God, help me to guide conversations with people to praise, to raise up praise. It's easy to bellyache about the bad, I want to glorify the good. I want to praise people when they raise the bar of humanity's God-given potential and exceed the accepted status quo. I want praise to be on my lips, ready to be deployed whenever I see or sense something nice that needs an honorable mention in a culture that puts all the cameras on every dumpster fire. I want to praise you, God, even when things aren't looking good or going my way. There's just something about raising praise when life is hard that just ushers in hope...I want to be your distributer of hope, Lord. Help me to love what is praiseworthy.
_____________________
So today, I "think about such things". Oh, there are so many other pressing and depressing things to think about wanting to take up real estate in my heart today, but I choose these virtues to be the voice I listen to an the voice I become today. If thoughts become things, help these beliefs to become my behavior today, Lord.
__________________
This verse was branded into my brain by my mother growing up. Whenever we would complain, boom. Whenever we would criticize, boom. Whenever we would feel pitiful, boom. Whenever would would talk about other people negatively, boom. Whenever we we would feel letdown, boom. It was always hanging on the tip of her tongue like the morning dew.
It is good for me to "think on such things". I'm always "thinking about things", so it's important to choose what I'm thinking about rather than just letting nature run its course. So here we go...
________________
"Whatever is True" - God, help me to be able to separate what I feel from what is real. I don't want to spin truth myself or readily believe doctored facts...give me the whole truth and nothing but the truth, Lord. And help me defend the truth even when other people feel better about believing a lie cause it's just more convenient and expedient and relevant in the moment. Help me to love what is true.
"Whatever is Noble" - God, help me to seek and see the respectable virtues of life. To point out the things that speak to the dignity of humanity instead of focusing on the lowest common denominators that are, quite frankly, low hanging fruit. I want to champion the the cause of being civil in discourse and honorable in disagreement. This is not easy in a world of divisiveness, but this is my calling, Lord. Help me to love what is noble.
"Whatever is Right" - God, help me to do things because they are simply right. Even if the short-cut is faster or more profitable, set my sights on the rights even when the wrongs seem so seductive in their payoff. Give me a passion to come to that fork in the road every day and choose righteousness over political correctness or social acceptance...for your truth endures to all generations and it's not about to give out now. Help me to love what is right.
"Whatever is Pure" - God, help me to passionately pursue purity in my innermost being. Not just a external display of integrity and honestly, but a deep-down goodness of the heart. Help me to have pure thoughts, pure motives, pure responses, pure words, and pure actions. Even when purity seems prudish in a society that views it as old fashioned or unenlightened, draw me back to the innocence and tenderness and sensitivity of heart that listens to my conscience and feels conviction, Lord. Help me to love what is pure.
"Whatever is Lovely" - God, help me to chase after love with all that is within me. Let me see the lovely in the unlovely and unloveable. Help me to be love to a world that experiences conditional acceptance and temporary approval...make me a bastion of love for people to rely on when they feel like hate is winning and love is losing. Let the light of love shine like a beacon on the break wall inviting everyone into the safe harbor of my heart and out of the waves of malice and meanness that beat people up. Help me to see love and be love, Lord. Help me to love what is lovely.
"Whatever is Admirable" - God, help me to look for the beautiful facets of life that often get overlooked. I want to point out to people what I aspire to be and admire in them, hunting for things to "look up to". It doesn't seem like we have much or many to look up to around us, but help me to be on the lookout for it and point it out to others when I find it. In a world of trouble-shooters, help me to be a beauty-shooter, Lord. Help me to love what is admirable.
"Whatever is Excellent" - God, help me to not settle for whatever life seems to value at any given time. If we've gotten used to calling something amazing that is really debased, help me to shine a bright light on what is "the best" choice. Not just a decent thing, or an acceptable thing, or a reasonable thing, or a good thing, but "the best, most excellent thing". Help me to keep excelling in good things when it's tempting to stay dwelling on bad things, Lord. I want to see the best and give my best, nothing less. Help me to love what is excellent.
"Whatever is Praiseworthy" - God, help me to guide conversations with people to praise, to raise up praise. It's easy to bellyache about the bad, I want to glorify the good. I want to praise people when they raise the bar of humanity's God-given potential and exceed the accepted status quo. I want praise to be on my lips, ready to be deployed whenever I see or sense something nice that needs an honorable mention in a culture that puts all the cameras on every dumpster fire. I want to praise you, God, even when things aren't looking good or going my way. There's just something about raising praise when life is hard that just ushers in hope...I want to be your distributer of hope, Lord. Help me to love what is praiseworthy.
_____________________
So today, I "think about such things". Oh, there are so many other pressing and depressing things to think about wanting to take up real estate in my heart today, but I choose these virtues to be the voice I listen to an the voice I become today. If thoughts become things, help these beliefs to become my behavior today, Lord.
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