For a while now, I’ve been challenged and influenced by Paul’s encouragement to the church in Philippi.
Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
That encouragement is part of an overall word from Paul about how the church should focus on the important things even as they go through trying times. There’s enough to get us looking at bad news, grim events and turgid developments and get cynical, weary and hardened to the need of the day. There’s enough of that going around. One way to defeat that is to apply Paul’s word of encouragement.
Helping me with that is the word ‘superlative’. I would define it for you, but I don’t want to deprive you of the pleasure of discovering these things for yourself.
What I discovered when I explored this word further and looked at that in the light of what is praiseworthy is that if my mind is focused on what is worthy of praise, it must make a difference. A difference to my language, a difference to what I utter. That shouldn’t be too difficult because the superlative flows from me with ease when I see a great goal or eat a magnificent meal.
It can come in those circumstances and the challenge is to set before me something even better than a goal and good grub. Throughout the day set before the thought and focus of a beautiful Saviour, wise counsellor, marvellous friend, faithful leader, superb comforter, awesome warrior, compassionate shepherd, merciful and righteous King, most High Creator of brilliance. Set that thought before me and see how that influences how I engage with others, how I deal with challenging moments in life, consider how that affects decisions I make both on a minuscule and major basis.
Superlatives – give them a go not just for the day, but go looking for them in your day as something to think about and see how things develop from there.
It’s just a (superb) suggestion.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
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