On numerous occasions, when making an in-home visit, my hostess would make apologies for the condition of the house, saying, “Please excuse the mess.” Hoping to put her at ease, my usual response is to say, “I hadn’t even noticed.”
The eye sees what it looks for, and in much the same way, so does the heart. The heart of man has the ability to see the best, or the worst, of life; the good or the bad in others.
In his letter to the believers if Philippi, Paul exhorted them to respond to life situations in a positive manner. He said: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)
The mind is a battlefield between good and evil. Satanic, worldly, and fleshly influence would have us to think untrue, dishonest, and unjust thoughts, as well as thoughts which are impure, unlovely, and of a negative and harmful report.
What is our immediate response when we hear negative reports about others? When we see others doing certain things that may be considered questionable, how do we react? Do we believe it? Do we run to share it with someone else before finding out the facts? Do we mull it over in our minds and try to determine its truth? Or do we try our best to overlook the bad to find the good? Truly the heart sees what it wants to and is able not to see what it chooses.
I have never been one to preach on the power of positive thinking because I believe our message is to be that of Christ; yet Jesus had a positive mind and heart. He saw the good in others. Though he was despised and rejected of men, he loved them. Though he never overlooked their sin, he was able to look beyond it and love them into his Kingdom.
Love causes the heart to see the positive, the good in others. Paul in declaring that we should think on the good and positive things that will glorify God, did so in light of a previous exhortation: “Let this mind be in you, which is also in Christ Jesus.” Regardless of the circumstances that surround us, and our interaction with others, Christ is to be our example in every response.
There are those around us who may annoy and irritate us. June Langsdorf calls them, Irregular People. Instead of looking at their faults and being critical of them, look for their good qualities. Stop expecting them to change before you can love them, and in a Spirit of Christ, love them so they can change. If our Lord Jesus, looking upon us as those who were different from him, loves us still, can we not also love and accept one another, finding that which is good?
Jerry L. Dunn is pastor of Oak Street Baptist Church, 605 E. Oak Street, Kingman
