14 March 2008 Devotion for Today “What Were You Thinking?” Philippians 4:8-9

14 March 2008 Devotion for Today “What Were You Thinking?” Philippians 4:8-9

This past week we watched the governor of New York, Eliot Spitzer, go before the press to make a statement declaring that he was involved in a prostitution ring, and that he was stepping down. As the press’s camera shutters nearly drowned out the speech, a reporter in the background hollered, “Governor Spitzer! What were you thinking?”

What were you thinking? That is a question usually invoked in amazement when somebody does something careless or stupid. The conclusion most might answer- although never allowed- is this: “What was I thinking? I was thinking that I would not get caught. That was what I was thinking!” It is amazing to think that after someone would go to the effort of spending millions of dollars to get elected, spending thousands of hours campaigning, placing all of his hopes and dreams on the line- not to mention the respect and love of his family- just to throw it all away? Yet there are millions of people who have done it with far less.

This is because their lives were going in the wrong direction in the beginning. To keep us from temptation, as well as to point the way to godliness and to greater success, the Apostle Paul teachers us in Philippians 4:8-9:

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9)

The first thing to note when I read this passage is that there is so much out there in the world to compete with these thoughts. It might appear harmless to most to watch a program like Southpark or Family Guy on television. But when you listen to these antics filled with profanities and vulgar humor for a half-hour, you cannot help but to be sullied by them in your thoughts. The same is true with the late-night comedy talk and variety shows. If you have a television in your bedroom and the program happens to be on before you fall off to sleep, you think of Jay Leno or David Letterman invading your mind with crude witticisms. For the Christian, that is the last thing he or she should be thinking. We should reject them, and refuse to put them before us. It ruins your spirit and sours your disposition when you wake up the next morning, and hardly makes for a mind conducive to godly thoughts, let alone godly conversation.

What were you thinking? Someone once said that what we laugh at is a window to the soul. I am inclined to believe it. Lately we have been taught as Christians that to engage the culture we live in is to embrace it. That is still the age-old lie of Satan who desires that we appear sophisticated to the world, but without any substance. We can still remain techno-savvy and be godly without having to resort to thinking and acting like the world. No matter what shape our culture has emerged from century to century, Jesus prayed for us that we would be in the world, but not of the world.

Have a blessed day!