"Think Before You Think"

Luke 6.7-8a CEV

“Some Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses kept watching Jesus to see if he would heal the man. They did this because they wanted to accuse Jesus of doing something wrong. Jesus knew what they were thinking.”

It’s unnerving to discover that someone knows your thoughts. Frankly, I’d be mortified if my thoughts, all of them, were made public. I have some good ones, even a few I’m proud of. But many would embarrass me if I knew you knew.

Jesus was no psychic, but He was a mind reader of sorts. He knew the Pharisees were looking for an excuse to accuse Him. They were jealous of His influence and wanted to destroy Him. Jesus knew that. He “knew what they were thinking.” If Jesus “knew what they were thinking,” He may know what I am thinking. If He knows what I am thinking, maybe I should think before I think; that is, exert a little control over my thought life. Perhaps I should take my thoughts “captive,” just like the Bible says: 

“We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ”
2nd Corinthians 10.5 NASB

If my thoughts could be read by anyone who cared to know, I might be surprised by how few really care to know. But for those who did care, I would most certainly think before I thought. I would try to allow only the highest and best thoughts into my brain. I have some control over this. It’s easy to let my mind wander or even run amok. If my thoughts were publicly broadcast for widescreen viewers, I would rein them in more tightly. Some I’d tie up and dispose of permanently. I might even follow the Bible’s advise…

“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.”
Philippians 4.8 NLT

Jesus knows what you’re thinking. Think about it!