Philippians 4:8-9
Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
This morning, I found myself thinking about Teresa, a woman in my community who works tirelessly to meet the needs of others. Teresa is constantly posting something on Facebook about a need or concern… “Want to sponsor lunch for 20-30 spring break kids next week in our Adopt-A-Block neighborhood? Or would you like to serve for 2-3 hours one day (arts and crafts, outside games, FUN STUFF)?” or “WAL-MART has boys’ coats on sale for $8.99! You can take a small portion of your tax return to purchase a coat for a child in need!” or “Looking for a good used or free clothes dryer for a family who needs one.” I won’t even mention the countless scripture verses she frequently posts to encourage all of her friends.
Not only is Teresa a faithful servant… she fills her mind with the best, not the worst… the beautiful instead of the ugly. She never posts negative comments. In fact, when “life” happens – as it does for all of us – she finds a way to put a positive spin on things and give God the glory. Lest you think life is a bed of roses for Teresa, be assured that she has experienced her share of challenges. This single mother of two works hard to provide for her family – and equally hard on behalf of the collective family of her Heavenly Father. I truly am inspired by this young woman every single day.
There should be hundreds… thousands… of “Teresas” among us. But sadly, disciples of her caliber are few and far between. We find it so easy to be negative and see others’ faults and blemishes. Instead of seeing them as God’s precious children – equal to us in His sight in every way – we put on blinders. I am not suggesting we go through life wearing “rose-colored glasses” – or that we let down our guard. We are often right to be cautious about who we choose to associate with – or sticking our nose into situations that are none of our business. But so often, God calls us to do something… and gives us the wisdom to discern the right level of involvement and/or action… and we turn our head and look the other way. We often judge those involved and declare them, in essence, “different” or “weird” or “not worth our time.”
The closer I draw to God, the more restless and unsettled I become when I ignore His voice. If we truly want to experience the peace of God on a continual basis, we must apply His teachings in every situation. We must check our thoughts, our words, and our actions before making a move. We must be willing to step up – and out – as my friend Teresa does… with little to no regard to what the rest of the world will think.
Where do you need to adjust your attitudes and actions today? Where can you find a little beauty and goodness in the midst of the “bad and ugly?” Where is God leading you to change your thinking? Are you listening for His voice and filling your mind with true, noble, authentic, gracious things? Will you do your part to work toward His excellent harmonies? Shouldn’t you?
©2012 Debbie Robus
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