Think

Just to share one of the best pieces of advice that I have ever received …

My wife had morning sickness – very, very bad, during her pregnancy expecting our first child. She was sick just about every hour on the hour.

We were visiting a local Homoeopath practitioner who was very experienced and had come highly recommended for such ailments

After examining and prescribing for my wife, he eventually turned to me.

"Have you been to University ?" was his next question.

Immediately came his strong voice and the sharp question ...

I was quite taken aback, how ever could I answer this blunt and unexpected question? I paused, wondering what I could possibly say in reply

"I t h i n k they did " I eventually responded lamely.

He looked at me like he didn't quite believe me.

"That's the problem with people and Universities - people don't THINK for themselves, they haven't been taught to T H I N K" he continued

But his words have rung in my ears and my mind ever since that time.

"T H I N K ... DID THEY TEACH YOU TO THINK ?"

And ever since that day, I have more so tried not to take things on face value - either written or spoken, in the media, or presented on TV, in copious trade literature, in the barrage of facts and information that continually comes our way.

In this world of such a plethora of pre-digested information, when everyone else seems to want to do our thinking for us, and want us merely to accept what's on offer.

And this is strangely prevalent among the religious world - how else do the Cults prosper ? and legalism thrives.

To consider, to weigh up, to examine, to dig around, to probe, to THINK for ones own self.

Not to be sceptical, but to examine and consider further.

Not to accept things too readily ... not to be afraid to ask questions, even at the risk of appearing foolish in so asking.

To seek for TRUTH, to try and suss out any hidden agendas that people have.

To try and foresee consequences, and possible side effects.

To assess and ponder and mull it over ... to T H I N K for ones self.

To meditate, ruminate, cogitate, deliberate, investigate,

and it has helped me much a lot along life's way ... to avoid many pitfalls (but not all !)

What the University never majored on, but what this man focused and has helped me so.

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

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are sons of God. Romans 8:14

For as he THINKS in his heart, so is he Proverbs 23:7

The important realisation that we are really ... the sum total of all our thoughts !