Today’s Readings: Psalm 2; Leviticus 23:23-34; Luke 21:20-28; Philippians 4:8-13 Psalm 58
I’ve long been fascinated with the way some sports psychologists have come to use the concept of visualization with athletes. They’ll tell a basketball player whose struggling with his or her free throws, for instance, to get a mental image of him or herself making a free throw. Or they’ll tell a wide receiver in football that’s struggling with his or her confidence to visualize him or herself making a catch from his quarterback. The theory behind visualization is that if you focus your mind on one thing long enough you can make that vision become a reality. The book of Philippians wasn’t written by a sports psychologist, but in many ways the author is getting at pretty much the same concept. Except instead of telling the Philippians to focus on things like free throws or passes, the author tells the folks to focus on other things – things that are true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious, the best (and not the worst), the beautiful (not the ugly), and things to praise (not things to curse). The author’s hope is that by focusing on those things, you’ll develop a life from which those positive qualities emanate. Today would be a good day to watch yourself and see on what things you are focusing. Are you focusing on the best or the worst in life? The beautiful or the ugly? The things to praise, or the things to curse? What you focus on will go a long way in determining what qualities become embodied in your life. Til next time…
I’ve long been fascinated with the way some sports psychologists have come to use the concept of visualization with athletes. They’ll tell a basketball player whose struggling with his or her free throws, for instance, to get a mental image of him or herself making a free throw. Or they’ll tell a wide receiver in football that’s struggling with his or her confidence to visualize him or herself making a catch from his quarterback. The theory behind visualization is that if you focus your mind on one thing long enough you can make that vision become a reality. The book of Philippians wasn’t written by a sports psychologist, but in many ways the author is getting at pretty much the same concept. Except instead of telling the Philippians to focus on things like free throws or passes, the author tells the folks to focus on other things – things that are true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious, the best (and not the worst), the beautiful (not the ugly), and things to praise (not things to curse). The author’s hope is that by focusing on those things, you’ll develop a life from which those positive qualities emanate. Today would be a good day to watch yourself and see on what things you are focusing. Are you focusing on the best or the worst in life? The beautiful or the ugly? The things to praise, or the things to curse? What you focus on will go a long way in determining what qualities become embodied in your life. Til next time…
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