Dwelling on what's Honorable and Right

Continuing in our series on Set Your Mind, Set Your Course, we are now looking at Philippians 4:8--Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. Today we will look at the terms honorable and right.

Honorable refers to that which is noble, worthy of respect, dignified, lofty; that which inspires awe, majesty, seriousness. Here I need to focus on the important rather than the trivial. I can determine what’s important by determining what is precious to God.

1 Peter 3:3-4--And let not your adornment be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.

So what do I spend more time thinking about—How I look or what I’m going to wear, or maybe how my home looks, or how my kids look—or on developing a gentle and quiet spirit. Am I more focused on the outside or the inside?

When I set my mind on the trivial, I set my course for superficiality and stunted spiritual growth.

What are some other ways we focus on the trivial or superficial, rather than what's honorable?

The next attribute is right—what is upright, just, fair, not prejudiced. I have to acknowledge that God determines what is fair, not me. I have to remember that my thinking is naturally skewed toward me. Without even trying, I am prejudiced toward myself. Instead, I need to think what is just and fair.

Romans 12:3--For through the grace given to me I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.

I really like this verse because it doesn’t pull any punches. It reminds me that am I likely to think too highly of myself, but that isn’t sound thinking. It isn’t right thinking.

I do most of the shopping in my family. And I usually have particular areas where I park. Occasionally, I will go to one of my normal places with my husband or son, who is driving. He doesn’t always park where I park. My immediate thought is, “He’s parking in the wrong place!” That’s not right thinking. My way is not the right way, not even necessarily a better way, it’s just a different way.

Too many times our thoughts are on pleasing others rather than pleasing God. We think about what others are thinking about us rather than on whether what we are doing is right. In fact, sometimes we are unwilling to say or do what we know to be the right thing becasue we are afraid someone won't respond favorably. We must focus on right thinking which will lead to right words and right actions.

When I set my mind on thinking that isn’t right, I set my course for pride, selfishness, fear, and lack of true love.

What are some other ways we display prejudiced or unfair thinking?