Can we briefly reflect on the things that meant all things to us before the onset of COVID-19? Looking back now, can we say like Paul that we indeed abounded and still abound

A lot of Christians haven’t really understood love. A few others talk about love in the light of something they expect to receive from others. But can you imagine if every Christian thought about themselves every time 1 Corinthians 13 flashes through their mind? Christianity will be truly defined. How do you love?

A lot of Christians haven’t really understood love. A few others talk about love in the light of something they expect to receive from others. But can you imagine if every Christian thought about themselves every time 1 Corinthians 13 flashes through their mind? Christianity will be truly defined. How do you love?

The Communion offers us both the blood (that overcomes) and an opportunity to testify of our faith in the finished work of Christ.

The Communion offers us both the blood (that overcomes) and an opportunity to testify of our faith in the finished work of Christ.

The Communion offers us both the blood (that overcomes) and an opportunity to testify of our faith in the finished work of Christ.

Love never fails

Love never fails

The title of this blogpost would seem like an oxymoron, consisting of a phrase with conflicting or opposing ideas. It seems to be saying ‘don’t think‘ and yet ‘think‘ 🙂 It is impossible to continue to live and not think 🙂 so what is this blog about?

To guard something means to watch over it in order to protect and control it, to protect something against damage or harm.

The heart (mind) plays a key role in human existence. It is the seat of emotions, locus of thoughts and the centre of intellect.

Science describes the heart as a hollow muscular organ which pumps blood round the circulatory system and around the body. Thus far in human existence, no one has actually seen the heart (mind) as used in the Bible. However, we find from studying the scripture that a person’s personality, character and behavior reveal their heart.

“for as he thinks in his heart, so is he (in behavior -one who manipulates}. He says to you, “Eat and drink, yet his heart is not with you….” {Proverbs 23:7}.

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” NKJV

Looking at the 2 scriptures above, we immediately see a link between the heart, behaviour (actions) and spoken words.

I was browsing through my last birthday messages from friends and family and I observed something that kept recurring through the messages from different people; “beautiful in and out” that stood out to me (*wink, wink). It’s a good report and I celebrate God’s Word in my heart 🙂

God wants us to guard our heart and by so doing control our actions, reactions and words.

“Keep your heart with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life”
Proverbs 4:23 NKJV

To keep means to continue or cause to continue in a specified condition, state or course.

This is so important because all issues of life spring from our heart. Emotions of fear, hurt, love, anger, worry all stream from the heart. Our intellect is built and influenced hugely by the things we expose our heart to, thoughts emanate from our heart.

Clearly then we must control what goes into our heart and by so doing automatically control what comes out of it- as thoughts, words or actions.

Truth is, our emotions, thoughts (and actions) can either cripple or energize us.

God wants us to be selective about what we permit or allow access into our heart and we have a reference;

Philippians 4:8

“Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy– meditate on these things. NKJV.

So we should consciously put every thought (from within or without) against true/noble/just/lovely/of virtue/of good report. Any thought/word/action found wanting on this weighing scale must be discarded and ignored. A thought flashes through your mind that does not pass the litmus test? Discard. Somebody says something to you that displaces the balance of the weighing scale? Discard and ignore.

Reminds me of an incidence that took place in my office some years ago; someone became very upset and restless because another colleague referred to him as ‘a rat’ 🙂 The matter escalated to the point that the overall boss had to intervene, he called a meeting. After listening to the two people involved, one of his admonitions to the offended colleague was a question ‘Are you a rat?’ If someone refers to you as a rat, and you are not a rat, you haven’t behaved like a rat, then why are you so upset. 🙂

I believe that the easiest way to align our thoughts according to Philippians 4:8, is to always operate in Godly wisdom. And Godly wisdom flows freely from the Word of God.

In recent times, my most treasured status is that of being at peace. So I purposefully ‘guard my heart to think’ by protecting it from harm and exposing it to the truth sourced directly from the word of God. I consciously resist any attempt by life issues to destabilise this state 🙂 I keep my peace. Sometimes I miss it, but then I chase after it until it returns.

You can do same 🙂

The peace of God is available to us always but we must choose to walk in it.

To have a well-kept heart, a well-guarded heart, there are places we cannot go, there are movies/shows we cannot watch, there are books we cannot afford to read, there are associations and gatherings we must avoid, there are discussions we cannot be part of, there are pleasures we cannot indulge in.

I leave you with the complete words of wisdom from Proverbs 4:23;

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.”
Proverbs 4:23‭-‬27 KJV

Shalom.

A Business Owner had worked all year round to keep his business afloat amidst regular dips in profits. His hard-work paid off, business still made sense; his profit margin wasn’t bad at all. Only thing was, he has become really exasperated, irritated by trivial issues, excitable by mundane ones. He needed a break!

He called for a management meeting with all departmental heads and informed them of his plan to proceed on an extended leave. Business must remain profitable in his absence. He assigned tasks and targets to each managerial portfolio with accompanying resources to aid achievement of expected outcomes.

Few days before proceeding on his vacation, he assembled his managers again and distributed seed stocks. To the Sales Manager he handed $5,000 and a list of tasks. He must at least double the money before the business owner returns. Standing next to the Sales Manager was the Finance Manager, who thought to himself, ‘Oh! the company’s net worth is better this year than it was last year, that attests to my hardwork. I’ll surely get more than $5,000. He got $2,000! The other person in the room was the Operations Manager who, just like the Finance Manager was full of great expectations. ‘He has kept everything together this past year, he thought’. If not for his dedication and commitment, their experience could have been worse considering global economic recessions. His Master would certainly give him more than $5,000 to trade with. He got $1,000!

Spread across the faces of the Sales Manager and the Finance Manager was a mix of chagrin and delight, they are certainly unhappy with Mr. Business Owner but then their fate seemed better than that of Mr.Operations. ‘At least the Master considered them more productive and superior to Mr. Operations. They busted into laughter. Mr. Operations went all red.

The Business Owner watched them in utter bewilderment. ‘These people don’t get this, he thought’. He quickly called them to order, explaining the criteria for distributing the resources. Every man has received according to his strength, ability and role in the organisation. This was not a reward system. His hopes are that each manager would employ given resources, maximize profits, without neglecting his primary responsibility. He wished them well and embarked on his journey.

Despite the explanations given by the Business Owner, the Operations Manager went away disgruntled, depressed and disillusioned. ‘The Master surely hates me, he thought‘ He is not only ungrateful and selfish, he is a wicked man and cares about nothing more than his profits.’ Mr. Owner has treated him badly despite all his years of hard-work and commitment. Instead of rewarding him for ensuring the smooth running of daily operations in the organization, he humiliated him in the presence of his colleagues by giving him the least money to trade with. He was going to do absolutely nothing with the $1000 given to him. If the Master didn’t trust his ability to trade, then he shouldn’t expect any further gains from him.

We find the response of the Business Owner to Mr. Operations on his return in Mathew 25:

“…. ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.”

Mr. Operations was right; his Master didn’t trust him to deliver. His initial explanation on the criteria for distributing the resources was only a cover up. Mr. Business Owner obviously see him as wicked {selfish} and lazy. He was of little or no benefit to him personally or to organizational growth. The only reason operations were still great was because he weighed in most times. Giving him one talent was simply an act of generosity, he would have gotten nothing.

Interestingly, they had made clever judgment about each other .. well, to a great extent 🙂 Business Owner was profit-oriented and result-driven, Mr. Operations was seen as selfish but didn’t know it}.

Jesus gave the Parable of the Talents to teach on faithfulness to the things of God. Profitability of the Kingdom of God is about making disciples of all men (Matthew 28:19). If the One-Talent Servant knew the overall organization goal and focused on it, he would (1) Continue to work towards achievement of the overall organizational goal irrespective of his perception about his Master’s feelings towards him. (2) He would have become more self-aware of how his Master saw him and seize the little opportunity given to improve himself or set things right.

He missed both.

Jesus never gave a condemning parable without admonition on the way to repentance 🙂

Let’s stay faithful and committed to the things of God. We will reap where we sow if we do not faint. And let us stay relevant in the vineyard in which we’re planted, always being reminded of 1 Corinthians 12: 20

“But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.” NKJV.