Has anyone ever told you to ‘watch where you’re going’? This is an early and deeply embedded lesson, and avoiding collisions, especially while driving, is important. But this advice can work against you too. If your only focus is on getting to your destination, then you miss most of the opportunities of the journey. I taught my disciples while I was in the way with them. Do you see the importance of this as more than just getting to another place? It got them to another place in a spiritual sense that you couldn’t walk to. I have things to teach you during your journey as well. Stop and smell the roses.

Do you pursue excellence? Every area of human endeavor has those who excel, who put in the discipline and effort to be the best, whether it is athletic, artistic, intellectual, commercial or many more. You have admired displays of excellence in performance or competition and rightly observe that it took a great commitment of time to achieve at this level, but the time will pass whether you pursue excellence or not. Do you think there is such a thing as spiritual excellence? There isn’t a competition or awards banquet in this category, at least not in this world. Do you still consider spiritual excellence to be worth a lifetime of discipline and effort?

Have you ever eaten junk food? This is a commonly used term for food that contains calories but not much nourishment. There is an entire industry based on providing this and it is readily available. It is appealing and most people eat some although a steady diet of it is not beneficial for you. Have you ever had any junk thoughts? These too are readily available, and you have unlimited opportunities for them, but a steady diet of these is not recommended either. Thoughts can be without redemptive purpose in the same way that food can contain calories but not provide nourishment. So I invite you to think on those things that are pure and lovely. Keep me in all your thoughts.

Do you always tell the truth? Is there ever a time when you should not tell the truth? Everyone who gossips will claim that they are telling the truth. Would that that were true. But even if it is, that is no excuse for speaking the truth without love. Can you tell the truth and do so in a way that is full of redemptive purpose? Only a fool utters all his mind and you know things that are true that you should not speak. It is the glory kings to search out a matter. People want to investigate and get to the bottom of things. But it is the glory of God to conceal a matter. Which of these is the greater glory?