Sunday, Dec 2, 2012
Garza County News

Photo by Jim Plummer

Pastor Scott Richards, First United Methodist Church, Post

Filling Your Mind

Published July 27, 2012 @ 6 a.m.

Who are you giving glory to?  This past week a terrible tragedy occurred in Aurora, Colorado.  Within a few hours of the police apprehending the perpetrator of this crime the television news outlets were broadcasting his name and displaying his smiling face.  In so doing they assured that the next deranged soul looking to go out in a blaze of glory will perpetrate a similar crime.  This was done even though these same media outlets all have sports broadcasts that are careful not to show people running out onto the fields in sports events because they know that by doing so they would encourage others to do the same things.

We give weight to things, socially, by speaking about them, thinking about them, and telling stories about them.  By analyzing why the murderer killed, covering in minute detail every facet of how he looks and speculating about his mental condition, the media gives weight, gives glory, to the perpetrator of this horrific act.  What we give glory as a society makes a huge difference in how we act.  And we give glory, not just by speaking well, but by giving weight.  When we are constantly bringing up a murderer’s name even if it is to disapprove and shame, we are making him weighty.

The same is true in our individual lives.  Paul understood this quite well.  One of the great chapters of the scriptures is Philippians 4.  There in the first 8 verses Paul deals strictly with how to attain a daily attitude of giving glory to God.  “Rejoice in the Lord always!”, “Be anxious for nothing but with all prayer and seeking with thanksgivings make your requests known to God”, and “In conclusion, my friends, fill your minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honorable.”  When we do these things we are making God weighty, giving God glory in our lives. 

What do you make weighty in your life?  Who or what are you giving glory to really?  Giving glory to God is more than punctuating your speech with an occasional “praise the Lord!”  Giving glory to God comes from how we live our lives and how we live our lives largely comes from what we make weighty in our lives.  If you are filling your thoughts with football then football is what you are giving glory to in your life.  If you are filling your mind with the things of God then you are giving glory to God.

 
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