Good Thoughts

There’s an old saying that says, “You are what you think.” I looked that up on my google search and found that a lot of books have been written on that topic. Most of them approach the subject from the viewpoint of  psychology and “positive thinking.” But did you know that the Bible has some things to say about that idea?

First of all, there’s a really old proverb, naturally from the book of Proverbs, that says: “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7, KJV).  That can apply to both good or bad thinking. Here’s a proverb about the contrast of good and bad thinking. “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad” (Proverbs 12:25, ESV).

One of my grandmothers was always talking about negative things. All the troubles her friends and family members were having. Or all the bad things going on in the town, the country, or the world. On the other hand, my other grandma always had positive things to say to me to help me see God’s beauty around me. Which one do you think I enjoyed being with the most? Not that I loved one more than the other, but one lifted me up. The other often made me sad.

I’m reminded about the good advice that Paul gave to the Philippians (my favorite letter of his).  People of his time had a lot to complain about. They lived under an evil empire’s thumb. They were often in danger. But he taught them to dwell on the positive, the good. He said, “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” (Phillipians 4:8).

In a more recent translation, that verse says: “If you believe in goodness and if you value the approval of God, fix your minds on the things which are holy and right and pure and beautiful and good” (J. B. Phillips). And in a more vernacular way of speaking, the Living Bible puts it this way: “Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about.”

So now we all need to think about what we’ve been thinking about. Are our minds dwelling on things that please God? This is my prayer today: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14, NKJV). Will you join the Psalmist and me in this prayer?