Be Careful Of Your Thoughts — A Progression
Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin Articles
The following is a poem from an unknown author that graphically illustrates the fact that we become what we think about and act upon (Proverbs 23:7 AMP).
“Be careful of your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words.
Be careful of your words,
Your words become your actions.
Be careful of your actions,
Your actions become your habits.
Be careful of your habits,
Your habits become your character.
Be careful of your character,
Your character becomes your destiny.”
Every word that proceeds out of our mouth comes from a thought — whether consciously or unconsciously — whether good or evil (James 3:10; cf. Matthew 15:11; Genesis 6:5). If we think encouraging thoughts, we will speak encouraging thoughts. If we think discouraging thoughts, our words will be words of discouragement.
The tonality of our voice and body language not only follow the words we are speaking — they follow the thoughts we have behind our words (contrast Acts 2:37 with Acts 5:33 and Acts 7:54,57-58).
All of our habits come about as a result of the actions we choose to take over and over again (cf. Joshua 24:14-15). Habits can be broken when we begin to take different actions which will form positive habits (Hebrews 5:12-14 AMP). Do we want to quit the smoking habit? Then we must substitute that negative habit for a positive habit by taking positive action.
This is the way other people see us. Even though they can’t feel what we are feeling, or think what we are thinking (the motives of our heart), they can observe our actions and the habits that define who we are and what we stand for (cf. Matthew 15:1-20; Matthew 23:1-12; 1 Timothy 6:1-5; 2 Timothy 3:1-8).
Though we may want our tomorrow’s to be different than our today’s, many folks don’t achieve the things they desire, simply because they are stuck in the vicious circle of doing the same things over and over again but expecting different results.
Remember, we literally become what we think about and what we act upon the most (Matthew 6:19-21 NLT; cf. Titus 1:15-16).
If we want to truly be successful in our Christian walk, let us be careful to follow the instructions of the inspired writer Paul when he stated:
“Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).