Devotionals

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The famous French philosopher Descartes and his even more famous one-line explanation of existence, "I think therefore I am", is under threat in modern France. Recently the French Minister of Finance, Christine Lagarde, has criticised her compatriots for spending too much time thinking and too little time working. "France is a country that thinks," she told the National Assembly. "There is hardly an ideology that we haven't turned into a theory ... This is why I would like to tell you: enough thinking, already. Roll up your sleeves."

In Australia I don't think anyone could accuse our nation of laziness, but maybe we ought to spend a little more time thinking. When I went to university I was taught that the Australian alternative to Descartes went a little like this: "I think therefore I am, I think!" Others suggested that our national obsession with beer should allow us to express deep philosophy with phrases like, "I drink therefore I am".

In reality what we think about does become one of the most important issues of life. If our thought lives never reach deeper than 'Who Weekly' or 'Entertainment This Week', it's unlikely that we will ever amount to much. The amount of time and effort that the Aussie male devotes to thinking about sport may be regarded by some as admirable, but in reality is a waste of time, as it achieves nothing. Thinking and planning your strategy on the latest computer game may achieve a cyber victory, but nothing will have changed in the real world in which we live. The old expression 'garbage in, garbage out' sadly does sum up so much of the wasted opportunity that our Creator has given us.

The Bible challenges us to think and to think about what we think about. We have been given minds to think, to ponder, to question and to imagine. If we thought a bit more, maybe our politicians would think again about the value of spin and fear. If we thought a bit more, maybe the merchants would not have us so much under their advertising spell. If we thought a bit more, maybe we would give our marriages and families the emphasis they deserve. If we thought a bit more, maybe our insecure grip on life might lead us back in search of spiritual answers.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." Philippians 4: 8 (NIV)

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