Getting Our Ids Right

UV 603/10,000 Getting our Id right Finally, brothers, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things. Philippians 4 v 8 Unless the mail id we type in is 100 per cent accurate, it bounces. It does not reach the target or goal. Similarly, our attitudes need to be 100 per cent positive. The sum of our attitudes is our id or identity. Inaccuracy creeps into our attitudes through negativity. Hence, we need to not only think about what is noble but also identify what is ignoble or the opposite in our nature and in our past. We need to uproot that negativity from our thoughts. Our attitudes define our identity or id. Our attitudes invariably have a positive component and a negative component. Thinking helps us correct our inherent attitudes. We need to think not only about what is right but identify what is wrong and deal with it. We need to think not only about what is pure in our lives but also identify our inner lusts and overcome these. We need to flag our negative emotions like anger, fear, hatred, resentment, bitterness and eliminate the sources of these emotions from our hearts and minds. We need to think positive and beat negative not just when the situation arises or once in a way but consistently and continuously all through the rest of our lives. One powerful way of doing it is to think the thoughts of God by saturating our minds with the Word of God. The Lord uses the Word like a chisel to chip away at our negatives or angularities and to transform our character from deep within. In contrast, today’s personality development courses and books as well as finishing schools only work on the superficial and leave the inner person unchanged. Many people cite this verse and say that we only need to think positive. It needs to be read along with other related instructions written by St Paul:” cleave to that which is good and abhor that which is evil.” If we are only thinking positive, we can get deceived or deluded. No wonder Norman Vincent Peale, the author of “The Power of Positive Thinking” was a leading member of the cult group, Freemasons and at the same time a senior pastor. For many years, in my quest for conquest of self, I was in search of a soul pulse- something simple by which I can constantly connect with my best or better self and disconnect or overcome the worse side of me. The study of scripture led me to create the concept of equilibrium thinking wherein one constantly alternates being positive or thinking about reinforcing what is good, noble, beautiful, excellent and praiseworthy or the new nature that Christ re-creates in us and about depleting or overcoming or negating the opposites in my residual old nature that has not completely died. “ Be at it” is the pulse and “ beat it” is the impulse like the heads and tails of a coin. We move towards a dynamic equilibrium or perfection or excellence. It is interesting to note that while `Christ alone spoke of perfection, the apostles including St Paul remained content to talk of excellence as the latter were aware of the struggle and conflict between the old and the new. Prateep V Philip