Straight thinking ∙∙
Commit your works to the LORD, and your plans will be established. – Proverbs 16:3
James 1:6-8
6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.
7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.
Straight and Crooked Thinking, by Robert H. Thouless, was first published in 1930 and revised in 1953. The author reviews and critically evaluates common flaws in reasoning and argumentation, discussing thirty-eight fallacies of wrong thinking. Among them are:
Proof by example (also known as inappropriate generalization) is a logical fallacy in which the validity of a statement is illustrated through one or more examples or cases rather than through full-fledged proof.
Cherry-picking, or the fallacy of incomplete evidence, involves pointing to individual cases or data that seem to confirm a particular position while ignoring a significant portion of related and similar cases or data that may contradict that position. Such evidence is suppressed. Bias can blind a person and prevent honest evaluation, judgment, or decision-making.
What does it mean to think straight?
To think straight means to think rationally, calmly, clearly, or logically. For example, the phrase “I’m so tired I can’t think straight” is often used to convey the opposite condition, indicating mental exhaustion or confusion.
Romans 1:28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind.
Something tragic happened when people chose not to acknowledge the existence and reality of the living God. There is a play on words in the original Greek that does not come across in English.
The Greek verb translated as not see fit is dokimazo. Dokimazo has the basic sense of testing something to approve it. The people in mind did not regard God as even worth considering. They are basically theophobic.
The Greek word translated as debased or corrupted is adokimos. Adokimoscomes froma – without and dokimos – acceptable, tested,and approved. Hence, it means failing to meet the test; therefore, it is worthless, unqualified, unapproved, unworthy, spurious, or reprobate. In the present context, corrupted refers to a mind that no longer functions as it should . . . [it lacks the] ability to make moral and spiritual distinctions. Phillips renders this phrase as “degenerate minds” and the NEB as “depraved reason” (USB).
Humans’ thinking is often limited and flawed. In some cases, it’s not capable of making sound moral judgments. The human mind is powerful but can be slightly distorted. It has been compared to a giant buzz saw used in sawmills to cut tree trunks into boards. Just like a saw blade that is slightly out of alignment and skewed, when you run a tree trunk through it, the result is less than ideal. Unfortunately, many people are unaware that their thinking is not accurate.
On the other hand, the Father’s thinking is perfectly straight, unwavering, and trustworthy. His thoughts have always been consistent and will continue to be so.
REFLECT & PRAY
Can you imagine the Father saying, “Whoops, I made a mistake?”
Father, I recognize that my thinking is limited and often bent and biased. Enable me to think Your thoughts after You and gain stability and consistency.
INSIGHT
He created us in His own image and granted us the remarkable gift of critical thinking and reasoning. Nevertheless, our capacity for knowledge is exceedingly limited. When compared to His infinite wisdom, even the most astute and intellectually gifted individuals throughout history have barely scratched the surface of understanding.
Isaiah 55:8-9
8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.”
9 “For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
Right thinking stems from a proper understanding of the Father’s character and attributes. The apostle recognized that the Father is all-knowing, all-powerful, and sovereign in all things. Paul’s understanding enabled him to think clearly and remain calm in challenging circumstances.
Psalms 46:1-2
1 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come, and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Wrong thinking results in instability (Chuck Swindoll).
James 1:6-8
8 A person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.
7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.
The Greek word translated as “double-minded” or “Their loyalty is divided” is dipsuchos. Dipsuchos literally means having two minds. It originates from the Greek words dis(meaning “two”) and psyche (meaning “mind”). This term epitomizes the internal conflict and opposition within the human psyche, reflecting the duality of thoughts, emotions, and motivations. It connotes being uncertain about the truth of something or someone, characterized by doubt or hesitation. It describes a person with divided loyalties.
The Greek word for “unstable” is akatastatos. Akatastatosis derived from a (meaning “not”) and kathístemi (meaning “to settle”). Akatastatosdenotes ceaseless motion that lacks stability, fixedness, or firmness. It conveys a sense of being unsettled, unsteady, restless, fickle, unruly, or not subject to control.
The children of the King should be single-minded and stable in their thinking and actions as we learn to place our complete confidence in Him. We should exchange our thoughts for His thoughts and our ways for His ways. We begin by acknowledging that the Father is the ultimate decision-maker. What He says is not just an opinion but the absolute truth.
Psalms 55:22 Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.
The psalmist encourages us to give our burdens to the Lord and let Him carry the load. We should give Him our anxious thoughts, worries, and troubles, allowing the Father to bear them for us.
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© Dr. H 2024
Dr H Reflections 