Think On These Things # 1

 Think On These Things # 1

There are certain habits of life, which are far reaching in their influence. The habit of cheerfulness, for instance, is said to be of great worth to a person. The habit of being always an encourager, never a discourager, gives incalculable value to one's personality and influence. A discourager is a misanthrope. He makes life harder for every other life he touches, and an encourager is a constant inspiration to others, and makes life easier for everyone.

There is another habit of life, which if it were to become universal would change many things - namely, the habit of always seeing the good in people, in conditions, in circumstances, and in experiences. Paul suggests it, when he says in a remarkable passage, "If there is any virtue, and if there is any thing praiseworthy - think on these things." (Philippians 4:8). The emphasis seems to be on "any" - if there is any virtue, even the last, in another, if there is in a life which seems almost wholly bad, even the smallest thing that is good - we are to find that and to think upon that mere speck of beauty, rather than on the much that is evil and unbeautiful. If there is in a person, any thing praiseworthy, any smallest quality or act that is worthy of praise, of which we can speak with even the faintest approval and commendation, we should give thought to that, and voice our appreciation, rather than think and speak of the many things in the person that are not good or praiseworthy.

It is easy to think of reasons why this is the Christian way. It is Christ's way with us. If there is anything good, even the faintest spark of virtue or hope in a life - Christ sees it. He is looking for good and hopeful things. Some people see only the faults and flaws in the lives of others - they are looking for these things - blemishes, defects, imperfections. They are never trying to find anything beautiful, and they find what they seek. Our Master, however, is looking for things that are praiseworthy - good beginnings of better things.

Someone asked the curator of an academy of fine arts, regarding the pictures of a certain artist: "What do you consider the defects in his work?" The answer was, "We do not look for defects here - but for excellences." It is thus that our Master does in our lives - He does not look for the imperfections, of which there always are many - but for things that are worthy of commendation. If there is any virtue - He finds it, takes notes of it, nourishes it, and woos it out. If Christ looked upon us as we too often look upon others - seeing the flaws, the shortcomings, the inconsistencies, the failures - and judged us by these, not many of us ever would grow into beauty. But where there is even a spark of good he finds it, and cultivates it into His best possibilities.

We shall never become of much use in the world - until we learn this lesson of always finding and encouraging the best. We shall never lift up anyone to a higher, better life - until we have found in him something to approve and commend. There are some men and women who wish to help others, to be of use to them - but work after a wrong method. They think they must eliminate the faults and defects which they find - and so they watch for things they cannot approve. They have keen eyes for specks and blemishes - none are too small for them to see - but they never see the beautiful things in another. The Master refers to such people, in His teaching about motes and beams. He would have us to look for the good, not the evil, in others.

There is no life so devoid of beauty and good - that it has in it nothing worthy of commendation. Ruskin found even in the mud of London streets, the elements out of which gems are formed - the opal, the sapphire, the diamond. The love of Christ finds even in the moral refuse of this world possibilities of loveliness in character and heavenliness in life. We cannot do anything to help men - by indulging in criticism and denunciation. We can call out the good in others only as the sun woos out the plants and flowers from the cold earth in the springtime - by its warmth. If the friends of men, finding the smallest beginnings of virtue and encouraging them - the earth would soon be changed into a garden!

~J. R. Miller~

(continued with # 2)