How to Use "The Lust Dare"
Day #22: Whatever is Noble
“Pray for us; for we
are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live
honorably.” –Hebrews 13:18
As we move on in the passage that
tells us what to set our minds on, the second thing placed there right after truth
is “whatever is noble.” Another word
that is often used in the place of noble in this passage is honest or
honorable. But the original Greek word, semnos,
that Paul used in Philippians has even a more unique meaning. Spiros Zodhiates,
a scholar in the original Greek explains it in his lexical aids.
“Semnos; from sebnos(which in turn is from sebomai, to worship,
venerate). Venerable. Semnos does not merely indicate the earthly dignity lent
to a person, but one who also owes his modesty to that higher citizenship which
is also his, being one who inspires not only respect but reverence and worship.
There lies something of majestic and awe-inspiring qualities in semnos which
does not repel but rather invites and attracts.”
When scripture refers to noble in
this case, it is actually referring to that which strikes awe in the viewer.
And I love how Spiros put it: “does not
repel but rather invites and attracts.” Isn’t that what awe usually does?
People have always been attracted to superheroes, or great strength, or
brilliance, as it strikes a sense of awe. This kind of reverence and awe is
something that we are attracted to. I love that! We are called to think on
something good, and that something is also a thing that we are naturally drawn
to.
God does not replace those
inviting sinful thoughts with something bland and boring. He doesn’t say to us “Quit
thinking about that, and meditate on Brussels sprouts instead.” No! Instead He
says “I have things so awesome and inspiring for you to think about, that your
sin will seem stale and lifeless in its place.” Your sin will be awed into
silence. Another scholar whom I have mentioned before: Alexander Maclaren, says
it this way.
“‘Whatsoever things
are honest,’ or, as the word more properly and nobly means, ‘Whatsoever things
are reverent , or venerable ‘--let grave, serious, solemn thought be familiar
to your minds, not frivolities, not mean things. There is an old story in Roman
history about the barbarians breaking into the Capitol, and their fury being
awed into silence, and struck into immobility, as they saw, round and round in
the hall, the august Senators, each in his seat. Let your minds be like that,
with reverent thoughts clustering on every side; and when wild passions, and
animal desires, and low, mean contemplations dare to cross the threshold, they
will be awed into silence and stillness. ‘Whatsoever things are august . . .
think on these things.’”
The way he painted that was so beautiful to me. “and when wild passions, and animal desires,
and love, mean, contemplations dare to cross the threshold, they will be awed
into silence and stillness.” How cool is that?! We no longer have to let
those animal passions and low, mean, thoughts cross the threshold. By merely
filling our minds with that which is noble, honest, awe-inspiring, reverent,
the evil thoughts will be silenced and made still without us even having to do
anything with them.
This is the power of thinking on noble things.
“Finally brethren,
whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just,
whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of
good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-
think on these things.” –Philippians 4:8
Today’s Dare
Make a list of attributes of God that are awe-inspiring or
cause reverence, and put that list up in your room. Carry a copy of it around
with you. Look at it often, and purposefully think on those things. Meditate on
them, find ways they are displayed in scripture, ask your friends about them;
just fill your minds with that which is noble. Let your thoughts be so centered
in this reverence, that any sinful thoughts that try to enter might be awed
into silence.
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