The mind is an awesome thing. Even mine! I do sometimes think my mind has a few short circuits. My husband is confident of it!
Great music, great paintings, and great books, were first conceived in the mind. Murders, child abuse, and rape were also first conceived in the mind.
What makes the difference? How can such greatness that benefits the human race AND such vileness that destroys the human race come from the same supply?
I have no clinical answer for the question. I do think I have a biblical one.
It's what we allow our minds to think on.
The Bible says, "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."
Let's take a simple scenario. Your husband comes into the kitchen where you are fixing dinner. He looks in the pot and says, "Are we having that AGAIN?"
Bells and whistles go off in the mind? Alarm! Alarm! I've just been offended!
Now a choice has to be made. How am I going to react to what has been said? What shall I choose; to become angry and lash out at my husband or act in a noble and selfless way?
Mind thought #1 I've slaved over this stove all afternoon and that's the thanks I get?
Mind thought #2 Hey, we all have days when we're not at our best. Give the guy a break!
Or, how about this one. You worked all day to make the birdhouse your wife wanted for the sparrows in the back yard. When you bring her outside to see your creation she says, "Well, I really wanted the one I saw at Walmart."
Mind thought #1 Ingrate! I'll never waste my time making anything for her!"
Mind thought #2 Maybe I'll check next time before I go to all the trouble to make something she might not like."
Neither of the persons in the scenario acted in a kind way toward their mate. However, each mate had a choice of how THEY reacted to the affront.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we always chose the right thinking patterns? How much better our relationships and our world would be!
Hoping I choose to think right today, Gloria
4 comments:
Fortunately for me, my family will eat anything that I put on the table.
However, when I have something that may be questionable I comment (real slow) "We are having XX for dinner and we will all like it and be grateful for it!" This is done with the head nodding at the same time. Works for me!
Yep, I've got one like that. He will eat about anything!
This is great, Gloria! And thankfully, when we say something at 5:45 AM to our hubby before we've even opened our eyes that hurt just a teensy weensy bit, (like I did this morning) there's that all powerful "fix-it-up" that surely originiated in the Bible somewhere (do you know where?)--the importance of saying "I'm sorry!" (like my husband did several hours later when he called home from work to say he was sorry for bringing up a topic so early in the am which gave me the opportunity to say I'm sorry for saying something before I thought about it...you get the picture. So after saying "I'm sorry," everything's bright and rosy again. And isn't that what godly relationships are all about anyhow?
-Nancy
Nancy, it would be great if all of us responded as you and Jeff did this morning. HOWEVER!
I can't help but chuckle when I
read James 3:7. It says, "All kind of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue."
WOW!! Guess our only hope is letting God control our tongues (easier said than done, at least in my life!). :D
Gloria
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