November 12, 2025

Minding Your Thoughts

A Biblical Overview of Obtaining and Maintaining a Biblical Thought Life

Matthew 17:25   He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?

“What do you think?”  He just sat there and shrugged his shoulders. “What do you think?”  She said, “I dunno, what do you think?”  They just sit there and look at me. These are some of the responses I have received numerous times from teenagers as I asked them what their five year plan was. When we were first married my new wife seemed to ask every five minutes, “What are you thinking?”  Once I answered “A thousand things but nothing in particular.” It is not always easy to answer the question, What thinkest thou.

Failure to answer can be seen as a weakness, but answering too fast can cause trouble later. So, what to do? How can a person know what they think about a given matter? Please allow me to give you a few suggestions.

Ask for time to think. If you are asked about something that you really do not know what you think, don’t ignore the question, ask for more time. Proverbs 25:2 tells us that it is …the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

If you know what you think about an issue, look the person in the eye and tell them without fear or insecurity. State your case and deal with the results.

Write out your position. Someone once said, “If you can write it out you can do it.”  Many times we fail because we do not plan. You have heard the old saying “Plan your work and work your plan;” it is an old saying because it is true. If you don’t plan it you probably won’t, or can’t, do it.

Realize your potential for being wrong. Unnecessary changes are unwise, but course corrections, when off course, are very much needed. Unless that which you think is a conviction that you will die for, leave room for flexibility.

Over the years of business and pastoring I have found that most people really do not know what or why they believe a certain way. Do you? What thinkest thou?

May the Lord bless and be pleased with your thought life today.

Dr. William Howe