Red poppies growing near the castle wal at Monsaraz Castle, Portugal

Lots of news in the world out there this week.  The news of the world in here is of lots of time with family.  We love it!

But thinking of the world out there, in this week of lots of news, the president has called on us all to “lower the temperature” in terms of our political discourse.  Another president more eloquently  called us “with malice toward none with charity for all with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right let us strive on to finish the work we are in to bind up the nation’s wounds…”

I am a bit of a news junky and can find myself sucked into the high temperature discourse with its malice and lack of charity.  So, how do we lower the temperature, rid ourselves of malice, and become people of charity for all?  Yes, we must discipline our discourse, but even before that, we must order our thoughts.  Disordered thoughts lead to disordered dialog and disordered deeds.

The Apostle Paul advises Christians how to think: …whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (ESV) Philippians 4:8

Even in a week (or two) filled with the joy of children and grandchildren, I am keeping an eye on the headlines and the high temperature discourse they describe and encourage.  Lest I succumb to their fever pitch, I must think about whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, of things excellent, of things worthy of praise.  Such things are not hard to find if you know where (and are willing) to look for them.