December 28, 2025

Minding Your Thoughts

A Biblical Overview of Obtaining and Maintaining a Biblical Thought Life

Luke 1:51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.   

Within Mary’s words of praise there is a nugget of wisdom to be found.  She associates pride with the imagination. It is within the imagination of a person that they are lifted up to a place of importance above others.  Jesus as our perfect pattern of propriety taught us by His words and actions to treat each and every person with mutual respect and honor.  He, the rightful King of the earth, took upon Himself the form of a servant (Philippians 2:7).  He, through Peter, included in His Word the command to Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. (I Peter 2:17) He also taught us: …love thy neighbor as thyself. (Matthew 19:19).

It is so easy today to let our imagination draw certain conclusions of people based upon how they are dressed, how they speak, and how they act. Through personal biases we are tempted to judge others according to our individual prejudices and culture. The pride harbored in the imagination of the heart is a difficult thing to detect and an even more difficult thing to overcome. It’s like the story of the Rolls Royce salesman.  He was working the showroom floor one day into which a man seemed to aimlessly wander.  This man was dressed as a common street person.  His hygiene was suspect, for his odor indicated that he had not washed in some time.  His manner was one of casual disinterest.  His grooming was nonexistent, and his speech was contemptible.

He asked a question or two of the sales associate who brushed him off as a nuisance. As the questionable shopper was leaving the showroom the owner of the dealership passed him.  The owner excitedly walked over to his employee and asked about the departing man. The salesman dismissed the man as a “bum” who was just wasting time.  The owner then asked, “Don’t you know who that man was? He is the richest man in our city.”  The salesman missed an opportunity because he improperly judged the man.  The pride of his imagination dismissed the rich man because of his appearance. 

The Lord, while upon the earth, taught better.  Yet from Heaven, and throughout history, God has, and will continue, to scatter the proud in the imagination of their heart. Pride based on imagination is a volatile combination, one to be earnestly guarded against at all times. 

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

Dr. William Howe