Whatever is right

Whatever is right

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”  
Philippians 4:8
What do you dwell on? What do you think about?
It’s very easy to dwell on the negative things that are going on in the society around us.
It’s harder I think at times to dwell on the positive.
I remember some twenty-five years or so ago our house burning to the ground. We were living outside of town and the house was a hundred year old frame structure that was very dry.
The fire swept through it very fast and to compound things the fire department went the wrong way and when they arrived they had to truck in water.
We lost everything in less than twenty minutes and we had no insurance.
It was hard I admit. But my God is good.
We had planned on moving closer to where I worked anyway. So we did.
It was the easiest move we ever made. The four of us, I had two young children at the time, jumped into the car and went to my fathers where we spent a few days.
The fire had happened on a Friday morning, by Saturday night we were calling people to tell them to stop giving us things. We had so much we were donating them to others.
The first night we spent at my Fathers place. The next night my brother in law had a basement apartment that we could use.
People total strangers donated to us an entire bedroom set, living room set, kitchen utensils dishes even clothing.
By the time we moved into our new apartment we had everything we needed and I was a hundred kilometres closer to my work.
It was for us a positive thing despite nearly being a tragedy.
We were able to connect with an excellent church make fantastic friends.
We were able to look back and praise God for all that had happened.
We could have dwelt on the negative after all we lost all our wedding pictures. A bible my grandmother had won in a memory verse contest in the 1850's along with many other irreplaceable things.
Instead we chose to look at the positive. We had our lives, many of our wedding pictures and pictures of our children when they were young were given to us by my father who had copies.
On top of this the church we started to attend was excellent. They were large and they catered to the whole family.
I credit them in helping us bring up our children in the way of the Lord. Over the years they helped us out and encouraged us in all that we did.
They helped us grow in the Lord. Both my boys now in their late twenties and thirties respectively still attend that church and are very active in it. I’m not sure they would have been as active in the church were we to stay where we were before the fire.
God blessed us.
I think that’s what Paul had in mind when he said,
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”  
                 Philippians 4:8.
It’s easy when we are going through trials and up to our neck in problems to see the negative. But we do not have to dwell on them.
Paul writing to the Romans said,
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” 
                                         Romans 8:28.
As we are going through those trial we may not know what good can come of it but if we trust God he will show us.
From that house fire I can look back now and say. I was able to minister to many Sunday School children. I was able to minister through a choir I was part of. My wife was also able to minister to many people where we live now and we continue to do so.
Our children grew up knowing and loving God.
They serve him both at their churches and in many other ways. My younger son now a carpenter goes on short term mission trips to help those in need in various part of the world.
All because our house burned down.
Now while I don’t praise God for the fact my house burned to ashes. I do praise Him for what has happened since then. All the positive things that have come from it.
I therefor ask you do what Paul says,
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”  
                Philippians 4:8.
Think about it.