Truth Think

16. September 2009 by BruceSmith.

After watching the news and excerpts from the last two days featuring the thoughtless, and wacky pronouncements and actions of celebs during the VMAs I went to bed pondering the reality of TRUTH  tonight.  Seems to me the biblical version of reality is a bit different from the “reality” espoused by our cultural and entertainment elites, and more than a little more refreshing than the vomitous spewing of our cultural icons.  Here is a short version of what, in my opinion, deserves an entire book. 

Ignorance is not bliss, and reason and faith are not at odds. The scriptures, afterall, call us, “Come now, let us reason together”.  The truth is, despite the pitch of modernity, that Goodness is always the better way, the more fulfilling route, the only journey blessed by God.  In a world far too atune to the false promises of hollywood, self actualization, pleasure, and the abandonment of absolutes, and many other senseless distortions of reality, the refrain of Philippians 4:8 is a clarion call to goodness and deep pleasure of the soul:  

“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.”

Wow.  If we could all think, and live, like that… it would redefine our speech, thought, entertainment, relationships, focus, emotions, drives, pursuits…everything. hmm

What do you think about?  What do you pursue?  Does your entertainment lead you to ponder the “goodness” of God?  Is your musical diet one which fills you with emotions, thoughts, drives for the excellent and praiseworthy realities of a life of faith?  I am one who enjoys many genres of music, so this is not some soap box preacher calling down venomous strikes against anything not called “christian”.  But much of what is out there is in stark contrast to the reality of life defined by and prescribed in scripture, and could hardly be ignored by any thinking person of faith.  We have forgotten to think, or in many cases, have decided not to think through the lens of faith.   

Think on these things, Philippians tells us.  The list is pristine and covers all aspects of our lives.  Is our reading intake filled with ideas which lead us into greater intimacy with God?  Do we seek advice and answers to perplexing issues from sources of biblical wisdom or from the pop icons and talk show hosts of our day?  Do we seek scriptural insight into our doubts and questions or do we sort of embrace a spiritual gumbo approach to life and pick a little from this ism, and a little from that teaching, and a little from that book, and a little from that friend, never really thinking and seeing the contradictions?  Are our relationships an image of the kind of human interactions exemplified by Christ?   Do we seek the wisdom of the New Testament with regard to our romantic affairs?  Are we looking for people of character, patience, godliness, or are we just following the crowd and thirsting for that “sexy” mate or date?  Again, are we THINKING?  

Contrary to the call of a reckless world, the “high life” is not found in abandoning thought and intention.  Rather, life lived in search of goodness and moral excellence, motivated by a hunger and love for God, is what makes for the life we all crave.  

The USA Today led its front page with the following headline yesterday, “What happened to Civility?”  It ran in response to Kanye West’s antics at the VMAs, which in my view, were only trumped by Madonna’s comments which reflected  our culture’s moral emptiness, distortion, and thoughtlessness.   Essentially, we praise the ugliest, or at least the most trivial of things among us, we desire no restraints, we crave pleasure without boundaries or penalty, and we worship ourselves.  Our god has become our happiness and the lusts of a culture gone mad for fun and frivolity.  

Have we forgotten how to think?  Are we too lazy to think?  Do we just not want to think?  We seem to think that living for the moment, quenching the current feeling or craving, will bring us to a more fulfilling life.  It never does.  

Philippians 4:8, I humbly submit, is our route to a bigger life.  Think about it. 

Bruce Smith

optimuslife.org

soulstormsite.com 

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