Thoughts and Prayers IV

...their minds are set on earthly things.

 - From Philippians 3

What are "thoughts and prayers," really?

Paul, the Apostle, wrote to the Philippians. He urged them to be of one mind, to remember the fundamental things, the concepts that they all learned in the first place. They needed to be reminded, for the same reasons that we need to be reminded: because we forget, and we are easily influenced by whatever is popular, current, or "cool." We want to be liked.

So if our initial thought is that we have to keep the Church of God in one mind, i.e., thinking the same "thoughts," then that's a good thing.

Therefore, when half of the believers go join up with some political movement, and make that their priority, and then agree with non-believers that say "Thoughts and prayers don't work," then they have broken our covenant with one another; the covenant being, that we promise to hold ourselves together.

We have lost the game already, if we cannot even stay of one mind.

If your thoughts are not on Christ, then they are on earthly things. And what are "earthly things"?

• Whatever I want. That's an earthly thing. The earth is defiantly a place where people put their own selfish needs first. I just want myself to feel good . . . and really, I don't care about anybody else.
• Whatever feels good. "Their god is their belly." Temporary, immediate, and selfish appetites are earthly things. Yes, we all want to do what feels good. That doesn't mean it's good for others, and may even be harmful for others. We're all in this together, and we have to think of other people.
• Obsession with death. Death is an earthly thing. It is sin, and it's evil. Wild mass shooters are earthly. They are the ultimate in earthly. But rage goes along with being earthly, and if your response to evil is to become enraged against your political opposition, rather than against the perpetrator of a crime, you may be thinking in too earthly of a way. 

If your thoughts are on life: life for all . . . then they are not on earthly things. The earthly person wants revenge, and wants to do something . . . NOW. But life and death are eternal matters. It has taken humanity millennia, during which we have obsessed about life and death, and have not mastered either of them, yet. You don't solve it in one day, or as the result of one tragedy.

I often wonder: If a person really . . . really . . . believed in eternal life, would they care so much about politics? We'll wake up one day and laugh at our immature insecurities.

Let's go beyond thinking about the victims and their survivors. Pray for them, help them, yes. But put your thoughts also on what you can do about it. Don't call your representative. Help your neighbor! Don't participate in a march. Visit someone in prison!! Don's sign a petition. Become a Big Brother or Sister to a fatherless child!!!

Your thoughts should be on your response. What will you do?

And then, the prayers will take care of themselves.