Finally, brothers and sisters, 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

I have been thinking about this these days. When I was active in ministry I mulled over the application of the Word of God to today’s challenges.  This morning, as I read the above verse I found myself asking how I am doing!  To be sure, the culture in which I live has no idea about concentrating on the word of God.   Yet that is the culture in which I live, a cocoon of solutions that do not work.   Even though I am getting older, I find it is not easy to live in a troubled world yet clinging to Jesus who is my only hope.

My mind goes to Jesus.  He was not isolated from what was going on in Palestine at the time he lived there.  The Jews were struggling to survive the Roman occupation.   Jesus offered no suggestions as to how that could be changed.  He offered those who follow Him a new hope, a new reality that links with God and his purposes.

Jesus pointed his followers to a new way, the way of truth, that which is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable.  These virtues will fill the mind and heart of those who follow in the steps of Jesus and in his Spirit.  The world knows little of this calling that the disciples of Jesus receive as a gift of God.