The third thing Paul instructs us to think about are things which are “right”. There are a few ways we can interpret this word. We can look at it as something that is correct or factual. We can think of it in terms of morality or goodness.
A third way to think about “right” is in the context of God and His commands. The Greek “dikaios”, from which the word in this verse is derived, seems to align more closely with this view. It can be translated to mean “upright, righteous, keeping the commands of God”. So what does that mean about how this should impact our thoughts?
There are ways in which God has commanded us to live, and there are ways He has commanded us not to live. Here is a sampling of these commands:
We are commanded to love one another: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34
We are commanded to not judge one another: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:1-2
We are commanded not to be afraid: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
When Paul tells us to think on things that are right, what he is really saying is that if any thought goes against the explicit commands of God, it should be immediately discarded.
Are you unwilling to love someone because of who they are or what they have done to you? Have you been judging someone for the way they are living their life, or for a sin you believe they have committed? Do you find yourself worrying about the things in your life? These all represent thoughts that should be cast aside and replaced. It may seem that they aren’t hurting anyone, but the reality is that such negative thoughts (even those you don’t express!)—whether towards another person or yourself—are hurtful, both to you and to your relationship with God.
We have spent the last couple of weeks focusing on truths, particularly those found in God’s Word. We have practiced committing those truths into our hearts, making them more readily available to fight against thoughts that would otherwise tear us down.
As you go through this week, I encourage you to become more aware of your thoughts and to really measure them against the standard of God’s commandments. What is the thought? Does it contradict God’s commands, or does it align with the way He desires for us to live? My hope is that this practice will make it easier for us to discern which thoughts can stay and which ones should be kicked to the curb!