Whatever is Pure and Noble...

from Pastor Jay Hutchens

Finally, brothers, 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. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9)

The summer before I began college in 1983, my dad gave me an old vinyl recording that he had had back in the 60’s of the motivational speaker, Earl Nightingale. I recorded the LP to cassette tape and would listen to it frequently when I made the eight hour driving treks from New Orleans to College Station, TX.

Today, there’s not much I remember from that recording except one phrase that has stuck with me. Nightingale said, “You are what you think about – all day long.”

My seven year old son Will has discovered the truth of this principle in his love for the Star Wars movies. He lives, breathes, eats, and sleeps Star Wars. He builds Star Wars Lego models. He reads (yes, reads!) books about Star Wars and when he’s around other children he’s leading them to play out some scene from one of the Star Wars movies he’s seen. Will’s dream at seven is to become a Jedi Knight – a dream for which Will and his friends rehearse daily.

There’s a shadow side to this principle as well. That sometimes the negative thoughts we give room to in our minds determine the shape of our outlook and the form of our character. When we dwell continually on our past failure, we look at new opportunities and challenges through the lens of that failure and become defeated before we ever begin. When we live with ongoing thoughts of regret and remorse, we experience with that feelings of inadequacy and not being deserving of the love and grace shown to us. Nightingale was right. We become what we think about – all day long.

That’s why Paul the apostle encourages us to think on things that are noble and righteous – because he knows that when we do this steadfastly, we become what we think about. We become righteous and noble people.

Of course, the cynics among us would like us to believe that “no one is righteous.” And that has biblical warrant as well. Was it Sartre who said (self-righeously?) that “all are guilty.” And that would be true, were it not for the new life offered to us as we become followers of God. Sartre is right. In a world without God, no one is righteous and all are guilty. But what if God chose to make righteous that which was guilty? What if God were to restore our innocence and nobility as we respond to his grace in faith and love?

The world would have us believe that this isn’t possible. Once a sinner, always a sinner the world tries to pigeon hole us. But the good news is something quite different. As we practice the way of faith, God restores us to a state of grace and righteousness in a way that we could never do by ourselves!

And that’s the righteousness that Paul would have us think about. God has done the work that you could never do. Praise God for that. Now accept what God has done and acknowledge the new creation you are and live nobly and with honor. It’s not only possible – but for the believer – it’s the reality we experience each day. Leave the regret, remorse, and feelings of “not measuring up” behind and find peace in the fact that God has and is touching your life this very day with incredible grace and love. Your sins are forgiven. Arise now and walk.