Honorable /ˈänərəb(ə)l/

Theft. Murder. Human Trafficking.

All we have to do is read the daily news headlines to find account after account of dishonorable actions. I find the news utterly demoralizing; I hate to see the many ways mankind can injure, defame, and oppress one another. Depravity and sin seem to run rampant.

In Philippians 4:8, Paul exhorts his readers to think on things that are respectable or honorable. I wonder what the news headlines were in their day. Paul’s letter to the Philippians is an intensely personal letter, one in which he consistently encourages them that though suffering will be part of their lives, great joy can be had in the midst of it. 

What a great message for a pessimist to hear: joy in the midst of sufferings. Paul’s readers likely dealt with anxiety in their circumstances and worried for their beloved Paul who was in prison while writing this letter. Paul suggests that to deal with that anxiety – to have peace – they should think on honorable, respectable things, among others listed in the same verse.

The word for honorable (or respectable) is used three other times in the New Testament:

• In 1 Timothy 3:8, describing a good candidate for the role of deacon; someone worthy of respect, not prone to greed, drunkenness or hypocrisy.
• In 1 Timothy 3:11, depicting the desirable character of a wife as being self-controlled and faithful, not slanderous.
• In Titus 2:2 where he describes the behavior of godly men: level-headed, worthy of respect, sensible, and sound in faith, love and endurance.

Today I tried to think about those people in whom I see honorable traits and the ways I’ve observed mankind treat one another well. I’ve reflected on the times I’ve witnessed selfless giving, candid confessions of failure, words of respect spoken of another, and perseverant faith over the course of many years.

[Tweet “Thinking on honorable things will help supplant the cynicism and pessimism that so easily takes hold of our hearts. #thinkonthesethings #write31days”]

Though these mental vignettes haven’t made the headlines in my city, state or country, they do restore to me a sense of peace and joy.

They remind me that while the whole of mankind lives in a broken, sinful condition, there are examples of valiant character living in the midst of it – by and for God’s glory.

Pessimist: Nearly every major retail franchise at which I shop has had their credit card systems hacked by thieves who are stealing both money and identities. Which one will be next?

Optimist: While that may (continue to) be true, I have also been privy to tender moments when someone has purchased the groceries for the person ahead of them in line…. someone removing items from their tab due to a lack of sufficient funds. 

Got any examples of honorable behavior you could share with us? Let’s make our own headlines; share in the comments below or on Facebook.

This post is part of a 31 day series entitled “Think on these things: Learning optimism.” For a full catalog of all the posts, visit the first page in the series by clicking here.