Today’s jealousy is tomorrow’s temper tantrum.
Today’s bigotry is tomorrow’s hate crime.
Today’s anger is tomorrow’s abuse.
Today’s lust is tomorrow’s adultery.
Today’s greed is tomorrow’s embezzlement.
Today’s guilt is tomorrow’s fear.
Could that be why Paul writes, “Love … keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Cor. 13:5 NIV)?
Sometimes I forget I have an option.
Paul says I do: “We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).
I am a soldier and my thoughts are my enemies.
What if I succeeded at taking every thought captive? What if I took the counsel of Solomon: “Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life” (Prov. 4:23).
I am not a victim of my thoughts. I have a vote. I have a voice. I can exercise thought prevention. I can also exercise thought permission.
Change the thoughts, and you change the person. If today’s thoughts are tomorrow’s actions, what happens when I fill my mind with thoughts of God’s love? Will standing beneath the downpour of his grace change the way I feel about ______?
Paul says absolutely! It’s not enough to keep the bad stuff out. I have to let the good stuff in. It’s not enough to keep no list of wrongs. We have to cultivate a list of blessings. The same verb Paul uses for keeps in the phrase “keeps no list of wrongs” is used for think in Philippians 4:8: “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things”. Thinking conveys the idea of pondering—studying and focusing, allowing what is viewed to have an impact on me.
I have done enough on the list of wrongs...and although there are so many more that I could record, I choose to make the list of blessings.
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