Thinking as Christians so that We Can Speak as Christians

Jun 21, 2011 by Becky

Being a Christian means thinking as a Christian.

Has this simple truth ever occurred to you before?

If we call ourselves Christians we should have Christian thoughts.

I began really meditating on this simple truth while memorizing Philippians at the beginning of the year. When the Spirit gives us new life, he gives us the power and desire to think like our Lord Jesus Christ.

In Philippians 4:8 Paul tells us what kind of thoughts a Christian should cultivate:

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8 ESV)

Do you realize what kind of impact these thoughts can have on our lives? Consider these words from Jesus:

“…For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.” (Matthew 12:34-35 ESV)

As we cultivate the kind of thought life Paul is talking about through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will begin to speak differently as well! Whatever we think, whatever is in us, whatever abounds in us, is what finally comes out of our mouths.

My friends, I too sin with my words. I too, am prone to say the wrong things, words that hurt and don’t bless. I too have said, “It just slipped out of my mouth, I didn’t think about what I was saying.”

But I have also seen that the more I meditate on the Word, and the more I think on the things Paul encourages the Philippians to think on, something amazing happens. As my thoughts look less and less worldly, I find myself saying things that bless and edify those I am talking to, starting with my husband and dear children.

Have you ever considered what kind of thoughts fill your mind? What thoughts do you entertain throughout the day? Take some time to pray about it. Ask the Lord to search your heart and mind. Ask him to reveal any worldly thoughts that lurk there.

Maybe you will see what I have seen: The thoughts we think affect the words we speak.

Do you spend all day while your husband is at work thinking about all the things he doesn’t do for you, or all the things he still needs to fix around the house, or all the flowers you are sure you deserve but he hasn’t sent? If so, I am sure the words that greet him at the door when he arrives home are not sweet as honey, but are bitter and unloving. This same cycle can effect the words you speak to your children. What do you think about them? How do you talk to them?

Listen to your dialogue for a day: your conversations on the phone, on Facebook, with your neighbor, or at the coffee shop with your closest friend. Listen to the way you speak to your husband and to your children. By simply listening to the words that come out of your mouth, you can accurately diagnose the condition of your thought life.

Dear sisters, let us strive to have the mind of Christ. Let us think on Godly things and on God’s precious Word. If we do this, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will be surprised by what blessings flow out of our mouths.

Becky is a Mexican living in one of the most crowded cities in the world, Mexico City. She has been happily married to an incredible man for almost 20 years. They have four children and  have homeschooled them following the Classical Christian Education model. Their oldest son is a sophmore in College and their youngest is a 7 years old girl. Becky grew in a typical Evangelical church, but after much prayer from her Dad and reading A.W Pink’s book entitled God’s Sovereignity she came to love the Reformed faith. Becky enjoys the big books and the small books, she loves to study God’s word and read mostly, from dead authors, like the Puritans. She says that her real education began when she started homeschooling her children. She currently teaches Spanish at Veritas Press Scholars; loves to take out her watercolors on a sunny Saturday and paint, and you will always see her with her camera ready to capture the simple everyday moments that make up her days. She loves to bake muffins for her family on Saturdays while they are still asleep, so they wake up to the sweet smell of home. You can find Becky on her main blog Daily On My Way to Heaven; on her photography blog, My Daily Journey-through my lens- and on her Spanish blog, Delicias A Tu Diestra Para Siempre.

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