Right thoughts lead to right actions

Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts. Never say anything that isn’t true. Have nothing to do with lies and misleading words. Look straight ahead with honest confidence; don’t hang your head in shame. Plan carefully what you do, and whatever you do will turn out right. Avoid evil and walk straight ahead. Don’t go one step off the right way.   (verses 23-27)

Read Proverbs 4:1-27

A poorly designed sign which read ‘PLAN AHEA’, with the ‘D’ on the next line, was the workshop foreman’s quirky way of letting his workers know the importance of planning. Without proper planning, time and materials are wasted, and an enterprise can fail. Thinking and thoughtful people are essential to any business.

Thinking is an important part of human life. The way we think shapes the way we live. Bad thoughts lead to bad actions. That’s why it’s important to focus our thoughts every day on God and his will for us. By nature we are sinful and unclean. Evil thoughts, unclean desires and deceptions arise naturally in the human heart. So a prayer to God to create a new heart and right thoughts within us is a great way to start a new day.

God wants you to be able to live confidently and not to have to hang your head in shame. That’s why he gives you his Holy Spirit, to cleanse you from within, to help you overcome evil, and to fill you with good thoughts. These in turn will lead to kind words and good actions.

Create a pure heart in me,0 God, and put a new and loyal spirit in me. Do not banish me from your presence, and do not take your Holy Spirit away from me. Then I will have the strength to serve you well. Amen.

by Kevin Schmidt, in ‘God’s Peace for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2005)

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