Thinking About the Good

Finally brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are right, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
                                                                                                                                                       Paul to the Philippians 4:8

In a letter to the Church at Philippi, the Apostle Paul urges that congregation, as a spiritual discipline, to think about good things.

Since the election of our new president, television and radio talk shows have urged a seemingly growing number of our fellow citizens to think ill of our president. To think dark of him. To think of him in terms of failure, and mistakes. Of being out of step and wrong about everything he is attempting to do as our leader.

Dark thoughts, and dark talk do have their power. That is part of how the demonic works. But Paul is telling the people at Philippi that the opposite is true. Good thoughts have their power. They influence us toward health and strength, toward nobility, toward truth, toward righteousness, toward excellence, toward success.

In an effort to bless America, to help her be her best, finding ways to think good thoughts about the president, would help us be a peaceful land, a country of hope, instead of a people giving way to rising rage.

In one of the Presidential debates the question was asked of the two candidates if they could say something good about their opponent. I was struck by Hillary Clinton's immediate answer, which was something like, "Well, I do believe Donald Trump is a good father."

As a father of five grown children myself, I was moved by that assessment of her opponent. Because, though my own profession as a minister was trying to do good, I know in my heart I have many failures as a father.

Yet President Trump's children spoke movingly at the nominating convention, of the ways he had always been a good father to them. He had paid attention to them. He let them into his life. He took them to work with him. He encouraged them. And, they have clearly grown up to be graceful, intelligent, effective, whole young people.

We know less about the President's wife. But in a mid-winter Florida rally, Melania Trump, stepping forward to introduce her husband, said, without his knowing it: "Let us pray. Our Father, Who art in heaven..."  A stunning, positive surprise.

She wanted to surround her husband, and that crowd, and her country, with prayer.

Those two things are both worth thinking about in relation to President Trump.

But, I find too, that he is an interesting man. That he has deep, instinctive skills of communicating with people. There is a sense about him that he loves and cares about people--that he wants to help them.

He has prompted many negative things to be said about him. But, we can find good things to say. We can choose to say them, as most of us want people to say good things about us.