stephen R Harrison

(Read Philippians 4:8)

What do you think about the most? When I wake up, sometimes the first thing on my mind is breakfast. Tonight, it’s fishing! I thought about Peter going fishing and miraculously catching 153 fish and Jesus cooking him fish for breakfast (John 21:1-15). What a fishing trip! Earlier in his letter, Paul encouraged the church at Philippi to be like-minded (2:2) and have the mind of Christ (2:5). Their thought life was centered on Jesus and the things of the Lord. To be like-minded without Christ is impossible. There is so much to dwell on in this world. The Philippians were to be of the same mindset in the church – and that attitude was to be about Jesus.

Paul gave them plenty of recommendations if they needed help with what to think about. In Philippians 4:8, he said, “Finally, 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.” This was more than a fleeting thought about these things. It was constant contemplation on these matters as they pertained to Christ. They were to be unified in their thoughts and allow these categories to shape their lifestyle. These were to be what they gave the most attention to as the church.

What do these areas of thought refer to? “True” means truthfulness. They should not dwell on lies, deceitfulness, or gossip. Jesus is the truth (John 14:6), and His Word is the truth (John 17:17), so we should dwell on them. “Noble” means respectable or honorable. Is what we think about worth considering, or is it a waste of time? “Right” means righteous or just. We should seek His righteousness first (Matthew 6:33). “Pure” means holy or without sin. Dwelling on sin only produces more sin. “Lovely“ (only found in this instance in the New Testament) refers to the love of God and others (Matthew 22:37-39). “Admirable” means whatever is praiseworthy and worthy to think about. “Excellent” refers to virtue, and “Praiseworthy” is about praising God in thought. Having these qualities active in our thought life will grow us closer to the Lord, keep us close to His will, and offer an effective witness to those around us. 

Questions for the Head (Think)

• What fills your thought life the most?

Reflection for the Heart (Worship)

• Take a moment and think about God in worship by using all the words listed in Philippians 4:8.

Action for the Hands (Do)

• Write those eight words down on a piece of paper. List two or three things under each category. Spend a few minutes at the top of each hour for the next eight hours thinking about each of these things. Set an alarm each hour to help remind you to think about the next subject.