Whatever is…
“Finally, a 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 (NIV)
Reading today’s passage would make you think it wasn’t penned in prison, but it was indeed! Although we’re not made privy to what caused this disagreement in the beginning of this chapter, the modern church can most certainly relate as we’re no strangers of quarrels ourselves. If you’ve not made a resolution yet, consider making this verse yours for this new year!
TRUTH
I’m sure you’ve heard people overwhelmingly use the term “my truth,” while validating the philosophy of moral relativism. Although we can empathize with people’s life journeys, Jesus Himself states, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6 NIV). Jesus is the bridge of reconciliation to the Father as we repent from our sins allowing Him to walk us through the process of sanctification—and this core truth should drive everything in our lives (John 16:13).
NOBLE
The news is often saturated with people who do dishonorable deeds with many going the extra mile to get attention and exposure. Let’s be mindful that as we fill our minds with honorable thoughts, we’ll act accordingly. Therefore, surround yourselves with people you consider to be noble, learn from their example, and then emulate them. The hope is not just to think about it, but to become it (Psalm 16:3).
JUST
In Matthew 6:33 (NIV), Jesus commands us to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.” The only way to do this is to meditate on godly justice and choose to do right by others. Psalm 1 gives us a great strategy to follow as we make “justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream” (Amos 5:24 NIV)! As Christians, we’re required to “act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly” with God (Micah 6:8 NIV).
PURE
Jesus calls those who are pure in heart blessed or happy (Matthew 5:8)! Attaining this state of mind requires us to safeguard our hearts from anything that could defile it. The peace of God is what protects us when we’re constantly inundated with the chaos and filth this world brings. It’s a fight to protect our souls, and it requires us to be vulnerable and accountable to people we trust (James 5:16).
LOVELY
Therefore, what can you do to please the Lord? This strictly depends on you! The average person makes about 35,000 decisions a day—and some of those decisions, such as what color should you wear today, may not affect your relationship with God, but many others do. Whatever you do, “find out what pleases the Lord,” (Ephesians 5:10 NIV) and do it!
ADMIRABLE
Remember, there’s only one person who’s worthy of our praise and admiration. He’s the only one who is perfectly true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and admirable. This is why we must wake up every morning with the intention to worship Him alone (Psalm 150).
Finally, Paul’s encouragement to “think about such things” is rooted in joy. In Philippians 4:4 (NIV), he commands us twice to rejoice in the Lord no matter the circumstances. This isn’t done in a way to bring optimistic thoughts or simply good vibes. This is done for the sake of transformation and renewal of our minds (Romans 12:1–2). As a bonus, Charles Spurgeon puts it this way: “Joy in the Lord is the cure for ALL discord.”
Pause: Meditate on Philippians 4 and think of practical ways you can take your thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5).
Practice: Memorize Philippians 4:8. Whenever a thought comes to your mind that contradicts Scripture, recite it out loud to battle things that are NOT true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and admirable.
Pray: Father, I thank You because You’re the only one who is worthy to receive all my praise. You’re the ultimate truth and constant in my life who inspires me to “think about such things” even when it doesn’t feel like there’s not much good surrounding me at times on this earth. Help me keep my thoughts from running astray and guard my heart when I feel sad or angry. I surrender all my thoughts and emotions to You. Guide me to think true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and admirable thoughts and help me model You. As the psalmist humbly implores, I also ask of You today: Create in me a pure heart and restore in me the joy of your salvation (Psalm 51:10). Amen.