Here is one of my favorite things in the world! This wooden desk plate used to sit on top of my father’s desk, and I inherited it from him after he retired. It sits in front of my desk now as it reminds me to be a thinker who thinks deep the thoughts of God. In my youth, I assumed that he wanted to be like one of the great thinkers in history. Later, I realized that it was more than that. It was more than just being a smart and knowledgeable person, but a wise person who knew how to use knowledge the right way. In his testimony, he has shared how Christ has changed his life and given him a new purpose. He discovered that a real wise person is a person who fears God and is humble before Him, and sees and interprets life based on His Word. He modeled for me what it means to be a Word-centered leader, and how I can think, speak, and behave as being shaped by the Scriptures.

There are many thinkers in the world and some are great and amazing thinkers. Yet, not every thinker is a thinker who thinks the thoughts of God. As Christians, we must be careful every day to submit our thoughts to the words and will of God. If we don’t, we will go astray and be full of errors. As an example, we can name countless scholars, scientists, philosophers, and even theologians who have left God out of their thinking process, who have come to the conclusion of one form or another of atheism.

“THINK,” to me, is to think carefully on who God is, what He has said and done, and what His purpose is in the world as written in the Old and the New Testament. To do this carefully, I must first be born of God, that is, through the Word (1 Pet.1:23) and the Spirit of God (Jn.3:5). The Bible says, “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised” (1 Cor.2:14). Second, I must present myself to God as a living sacrifice and be transformed by the renewing of my mind (Rom.12:1-2). It means I must daily submit to God’s Spirit in me to use the Word to remind, disclose, reveal, correct, rebuke, break, chip away, shape, mold, and train me. Third, I must keep my heart and mind’s eye on the main purpose why I must think like this. This aim helps me to see the final destiny of where I want to go rather than seeing them as mere devotionals, activities, and Christian duties. My final goal is to be like Jesus and to have the mind of Christ.

Here are some Bible verses that I have inscribed on the back of the “think” plate to remind me of these things:

“Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.” (2 Tim.2:7)

“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.” (Ps.1:1-3)

“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.” (Jos.1:8)

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.” (Phil.4:8)

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Prov.3:5-6)