How Joyful People ThinkSample

Whatever Is Honorable

When we consider the fullness of the historical and biblical data behind the word honorable in Philippians 4:8, we unveil a description of a steady person who is known for thoughtful reflection and well-reasoned, grace-filled responses to life’s difficult situations. Not to be confused with someone who is stubborn or callous, this person is marked by solidity and steadiness in the way they mentally process the world around them. 

When the writer of Philippians 4:8 challenges us to think about “whatever is honorable,” he envisions the kind of thinking that is difficult to rattle. A person with this kind of thinking doesn’t respond whimsically to the things around them and lash out. A person with this kind of mental processing knows how to keep the temperature down as things heat up around them. In short, they have a kind of thinking that is nonreactionary. 

Nonreactionary people still act; they just don’t react in knee-jerk ways. Far from being apathetic, distant, and disengaged, nonreactionary thinkers are people with a lot of vision, tons of drive, and a core of conviction that goes right to the center of their being. It’s just that they apply thoughtfulness, wisdom, and discernment before they act—and doing so tempers their response and sets them apart from all the craziness of popular culture. 

When circumstances tempt us to respond too quickly, self-control is our first line of defense. It keeps us from lashing out and reacting before we can give the needed thought to what we want to do or say. In this sense, self-control is not actually a thought as much as it is an action of our will. But self-control helps us create the necessary margin so we can think before we say or do something we might regret. 

Self-control is listed in the Bible as a “fruit of the Spirit” in Galatians—one of the nine primary traits of a follower of Jesus. The Bible also tells us that self-control is a “gift of God” that he gives to all who believe in him (2 Timothy 1:6–7). The capacity for self- control is in us as people who believe in and trust the Lord. God has seen fit to give us all we need to develop and implement this trait of controlling our words and actions before we respond. 

Who in your life tends to react honorably to difficult situations?