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Mar 12, 2023 06:00am

Think On These Things

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Grabbing a cup of coffee, I head to a dock overlooking a tranquil, calm body of water. In the distance stands a mountain draped in red sky. I can almost feel a gentle breeze as I stare across the peaceful water. Almost.

The scene hangs in picture form in my living room and is one I love to gaze upon first thing each morning. “Be still, and know that I am God,” (Psalm 46:10) is the verse that comes to mind each time I look at this picture.

However, the other morning as I sat in an office waiting on an appointment, I glanced at a different image on the wall. Its green body of water was stagnant. Behind it lay a large city bursting with unhappy skyscrapers. The brown and tan hues looked forlorn, as if silently weeping. The sky was lifeless and nothing about it brought peace, only gloom.

As I compare the pictures, I am reminded of the power of influence. The things I surround myself with and allow in my life affect me. The things I watch and listen to affect me. The things I think about and meditate on affect me. This world has its share of ugliness. Everywhere I turn, I see it. The news is filled with evil doings and sad tales. The internet is worse. People can be negative, and circumstances can be depressing. If not careful, the child of God can find themselves conformed to this world. This world offers no hope. This world brings despair. This world is self-focused and self-indulgent. It overwhelms us with things incompatible with a biblical worldview for godly living. “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world,” 1 John 2:16.

But, don’t let this discourage you. God’s Word tells us that Jesus has overcome the world! (John 16:33). Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can be transformed by the renewing of our mind (Romans 12:2). We can cast down imaginations and bring every thought to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). We can set our mind on things above, rather than being obsessed with this world (Colossians 3:2). The choice is ours.

Growing up in the 80’s, computers were a novelty. In middle school we were taught the simple notion of “what goes in, comes out”. The same concept of GIGO (garbage in, garbage out) is common in computer science. It means the quality of output is determined by the quality of input. The same is true for each of us. What we put into our mind and heart, will manifest in our life. We can gaze at pictures of forlorn, unhappy skyscrapers and stagnant water that bring despair, negativity, and worldliness, or we can surround ourselves with peaceful, happy images and thoughts that draw us closer to God.

Consider what the apostle Paul shares with the church at Philippi.

“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. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you,” Philippians 4:8-9.

What do you think about? What things do you allow to pour into your mind? Are they true, honest, just, pure, and lovely things? Do you dwell on nobler interests and things above? Do the things you surround yourself with draw you closer to or further away from your Heavenly Father? The choice is yours.