As a man Thinketh, so is he…

A man got the house help pregnant. The house help was also his wife’s relative, so it was quite complicated, or so it seemed to everyone involved. This was a subject of discussion on 12th Jan 2015 in a Kenyan newspaper. The advice that was forthcoming from several readers encouraged the man to come clean, confess to God and family, get into marriage counseling to save his marriage, and do what needs to be done to make sure the girl gives birth safely and the baby is cared for afterwards.

What shocked me was the advice forthcoming from one individual who said the two of them should make up a story about a fictitious boyfriend to save face. I wonder what would happen if upon birth the baby looks like a photocopy of the unfaithful husband?! This person’s advice continued, to say – “do what is “right” for you, but also consider what is best for the girl.” Does “right” mean lying to save yourself from exposure by the truth? Two wrongs have never made a right, but we cheat ourselves into thinking all will be well if we lie about what has happened and get away with it.

When you think negative thoughts most of the time, how do you feel? Energized? Healthy? Full of determination to go the extra mile? Most likely, NO! What we think involves more than just our ideas and thoughts. Our mind actually affects the way our body functions. Proponents of bio-feedback have been singing this song for some time. But so too has the Bible!

When you are faced with life’s challenges, whatever they may be, how you think about those challenges will affect your ability to cope with them, right down to your energy levels. I remember a book my mother used to read to me as a child. It was about a young, small locomotive, who was encouraged to keep saying to himself, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can” as he pulled a heavy load up a long hill. You guessed the end of the story … he could and he did!

The Bible tells us, as a man thinks, so is he (Prov.23:7). Are you thinking “rightly”? If so, you

receive peace. With “wrong” thinking comes a lot of strife and discontent. As well as lack of physical and emotional peace.

Right thinking and right living, including a healthy diet, keeps us moving ahead with energy and confidence. Spending time trying to think our way out of a perceived tough situation keeps us pre-occupied, stressed, run down and sick, both physically and mentally.

If you are in a crisis pregnancy, what channel will you take? Right thinking or………..?? Consider this: every child conceived, no matter the consequences surrounding that conception, is known to God. He has a plan for that person’s life. And we, the mothers and fathers, are part of that plan, whether we accept responsibility or run from it. We remain parents forever, whether or not we act out our role with integrity, diligence and love. Once we settle in our minds that we are now parents, the way forward will appear less murky.

Crisis is a matter of our mindset. Virtually every experience we have can be turned around from bad into something good, if we would only look for the positive rather than dwell on the negative.

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