Do you know someone who is very opinionated and is not afraid to let everyone know it? I knew someone years ago who was very opinionated and made sure that everybody within hearing distance knew it. In fact, most of his opinions were very abrasive. One time I asked him why he felt like he had to share his opinion about everything with everyone. His answer- “I just say what I think!” How true.
What we think will eventually make its way out of our lips, some sooner than others. One of my favorite Proverbs says:
Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent;With their mouths shut, they seem intelligent. (Prov. 17:28 NLT)
And of course, Jesus had something to say about it:
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45 NKJV)
If words originate in our thoughts, then we have to learn how to change our thinking.
“Thoughts occupy mental real estate.” – Dr. Caroline Leaf
Have you ever thought of it that way? Thoughts are occupying mental real estate in our heads because we’ve allowed them to trespass! We get to choose what we put in our brains.
Over two and a half years ago my wife and I went to a chiropractor who runs a health and wellness clinic. Through changing my eating habits and taking some natural supplements, I lost 50 lbs. and got off of two prescription medications. It was all because the doctor said I had put toxic things in my body and now I needed to eliminate them and replace them with healthy things. Pretty
There is a prescription for toxic thinking:
Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious – the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. (Philippians 4:8 MSG)
Thinking about these things brings about health – mentally and physically.
Jesus told us that it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles a man.
God has the perfect prescription for our brains – His word. It has been my experience that three things will change if you’ll look to His word for change:
- What you think about God.
- What you think about yourself.
- What you think about others.
This holds true because what we think about God determines what we think about ourselves and what we think about ourselves determines what we think about others.
True transformation can only begin with true humility.
God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble. (1 Peter 5:5b)
Talk about a double-edged sword!
The proud man says, “I’m entitled to my own opinion. Who cares what anybody thinks?” The humble man says, “I want to change. Lord, show me how to do that.” When we humble ourselves, grace is released to us, and when grace is released, change happens.
That’s what happened when I went to the doctor. I humbled myself, he gave me a plan, and I put it into practice.
I’ll share more on what it means to humble yourself in my next blog.
Till then,
Kevin