Food for Thought

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8).

Do you ever wonder what you should be wondering about? Do you think about what you should think about? Am I filling my head with mental junk food? Or do I intentionally stoke my brain with nutritional thoughts and ideas? Here in his little letter to the church in Philippi, Paul gives his friends some food for thought. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (v8). Need something to think about? How about these high protein, low carb ideas? It’s food for thought that’s not only good tasting but good for you. 

It would be very easy for the apostle and his Philippian readers to sit down at an all-you-can-eat buffet of self-pity and bitterness. Paul sits behind bars in Rome and continues his five-plus year wait for a ruling on his case. The believers in Philippi may not be in the slammer, but have their own issues. Their pastor went to see the apostle in prison and almost died (Phil 2:25-30). Their home city erupted in Ferguson like riots when the message of Jesus spread through the community (Acts 16:19-23). On top of that, Christ followers in the region suffer from poverty and persecution (2Cor 8:1-2). I don’t know about you, but a little comfort food for poor, poor pitiful me sure would sound good.

Like a spiritual nutritionist, Paul suggests a mental meal that will build us up and not tear us down. He presents a recipe loaded with things to stoke the fire of our worship of God and our service to friends and neighbors. Just check the list of ingredients. Truth. Honor. Honesty. Innocence. Loveliness. Great reputation. Excellence. Praise. These are high quality ingredients. You’re not picking up this meal by hitting a drive-thru.

Don’t fly right by the fact that the apostle is writing to fellow disciples. The word “brothers” isn’t just limited to the guys. Paul is writing to both men and women who’ve dedicated their lives to following the resurrected Rabbi/Carpenter from Nazareth. This is the sixth time he identifies himself with his spiritual family back in Philippi (Phil 1:12; 3:1, 13, 17; 4:1). What a great reminder of the new kind of relationship we have with other believers. We’re a family. Dysfunctional, sure. But a family with an awesome and loving Heavenly Dad. 

We begin the food for thought with “whatever is true” (v8). This is the Greek word alethes, which means genuine, real, trustworthy, and honest. Our minds should be thinking about stuff that’s legit or the real deal. Don’t fall for fake or phony. One of those ideas to consider would be Jesus Himself. He told His crew, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (Jn 14:6). There’s no one more legit than the Lord.

Next on this brain food recipe is “whatever is honorable (Gr. semnos)” (v8). It’s the idea of something worthy of respect, dignified, noble, honest, or of good character. In a couple of letters to fellow pastors Paul used this term to describe deacons (1Tim 3:8), their wives (1Tim 3:11), as well as silver haired saints (Titus 2:2). The word actually comes from a verb meaning to worship. Somebody or something deserving of worship. Hey, I’m pretty sure Jesus is once again the perfect candidate!  

Going down the list of ingredients, we come to “whatever is just (Gr. dikaios)” (v8). He’s talking about people or things that are morally or ethically good, honest, or righteous. It carries the idea of being innocent, faultless, guiltless, virtuous, and in line with what God requires. The only One I can find in the Bible who nails this description would be the sinless Son of Man. Remember the words of Jesus’ own executioner. “Certainly this Man was innocent (Gr. dikaios)” (Lk 23:47). There’s only one Person who perfectly obeyed every single command of God. Christ Jesus. He did for us what we could never do for ourselves. Just another reason to fill our heads with thoughts of our Savior.

Sprinkle in “whatever is pure (Gr. hagnos)” (v8). This is stuff that’s free from sin, innocent, blameless, without moral defect. Jesus’ kid brother says that God’s wisdom is untarnished and “pure (Gr. hagnos)” (James 3:17). Let’s see. Who or what fills the bill of purity? How ‘bout Jesus? According to one of His best friends, Christ checks this box. “Everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies himself as He is pure (Gr. hagnos)” (1Jn 3:3).

Next up, “whatever is lovely (Gr. prosphiles)” (v8). It’s the idea of something or someone pleasing, acceptable, or friendly. This is the only time this Greek word shows up in the entire Bible. It literally means one who shows kindness to others. Remember just how incredibly gracious God has been to you and me. He didn’t change our hearts through threats and intimidation. “God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance” (Rom 2:4). If you’re looking for something lovely to ponder, I can’t think of anything better than the amazing grace we’ve experienced in Jesus. 

An important nutritional component of our food for thought is “whatever is commendable (Gr. euphema)” (v8). Paul is describing something of good report, praiseworthy, or having a great reputation. The writers of Scripture continually talk about the importance of a great rep. “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches” (Prov 22:1). It’s even better than the most expensive perfume (Ecc 7:1). And there’s no one with a better rep than Jesus. For heaven’s sake, His own Heavenly Dad gave Him “the name that is above every name” (Phil 2:9). When it comes to supernatural street cred, look no further than Christ.

“If there is any excellence (Gr. arete)” (v8), we need to add that to the list. This is goodness, virtue, valor, or nobility. The apostle Jesus nicknamed Rocky writes about how the Lord has “called us to His own glory and excellence (Gr. arete)” (2Pet 1:3). Oakland Raider fans know all about their team’s “commitment to excellence.” But their three Super Bowl trophies are a far cry from the ultimate victory Jesus has over Satan, sin, and death. Now THAT’S commitment to excellence to consider!

The last of the ingredients is “anything worthy of praise (Gr. epainos)” (v8). What deserves the spotlight? What should be on the magazine covers? What should come up first in a Google search of approval? You’ve got three guesses and the first two don’t count. God gets all of the applause and credit for drenching us in His goodness and grace through Jesus (Eph 1:6, 12, 14). Earlier in this very letter to the Philippians, Paul tells his readers to be “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise (Gr. epainos) of God” (Phil 1:11). Who’s praiseworthy? The one and only Jesus.

Once we have the recipe assembled, it’s time to cook up this delicious dish. Put them all together and “think about these things” (v8). Our thought life is incredibly important to our walk with Christ. Just check out just a handful of tasty morsels on the topic. Solomon warned his son about the importance of what’s running through our minds. “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life” (Prov 4:23). It’s important to “take every thought captive” (2Cor 10:5). You’re to avoid falling under the influence of culture and “be transformed by the renewal of your mind” (Rom 12:2). Get your mind out of the gutter and get it on the things of God. It’s one sure way to “taste and see that the LORD is good!” (Ps 34:8). 

If you don’t know what else to think about, think about beautiful things. Think about wonderful things. Think about awesome things. Think about Jesus. The author of Hebrews tell us that if we need to continually keep our eyes locked on Christ, “looking to Jesus, the Founder and Perfecter of our faith” (Heb 12:2). There’s no more delicious and nutritious food for thought than Jesus.