Stewardship is . . . having Godly thoughts.

Almost every Sunday morning, we confess our sins to our most merciful God. We confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We confess that we have sinned against Him, as well as against our neighbor, in thought, word, and deed.

Sin is not just an act, it is not just something we do, or do not do. It is not stealing only if we actually take the thing. It is stealing, already in our heart, when we think about it and devise a plan to take it.

Unfortunately, there are so many ungodly images with which we are daily bombarded. To keep our thoughts Godly is a daily, even hourly struggle. We live in a multimedia society. We receive messages and images from radio, television, newspapers, magazines, computers, billboards, word of mouth, and so on. It is a difficult thing to keep from these ungodly messages and images.

Fortunately, for us we have God’s Word. We also have God’s Sacraments, Holy Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Through these means, the Lord helps us combat the ungodly things, messages and images of this world. By daily exercising our minds with the Word of the Lord, we strengthen our spirit and our resolve to keep ungodly thoughts from our minds. If we are thinking Godly thoughts, we cannot at the same time think ungodly thoughts.

How is this done? This is done by staying away from, or avoiding temptation. If that radio or television show causes us to think ungodly thoughts, do not listen to it or watch it. If that newspaper or magazine, that computer or billboard, if that person who is speaking to us causes us to have ungodly thoughts, remove ourselves from them. Godly thoughts begins with good stewardship of our minds, with God’s help.

7 of 52 © Rev. Ronald A. Bogs