I did something unusual this morning.  After my usual routine of breakfast with bible reading and devotional time I arrived at work early and watched a video.  This video was by Sean Hyman (who I have written about previously) and was a review of investment positions that included a lot of charts and graphs.  It’s fairly technical stuff but Sean always does a good job for novices like myself in explaining what’s happening, why it’s happening and what it all means for the portfolio.

I admit, it is once in a blue moon that I actually sit down and take the time to watch one of Sean’s videos.  As good a job as he does the stuff that he is talking about is a long way outside of my comfort zone.  I’m not a numbers person and I am not a finance person (although I’ve improved and  hope to keep on improving) and it takes a good 45 minutes for me to get through one.

Here’s the thing though: every time that I watch one of Sean’s videos I learn something and I feel a little bit more comfortable with the subject and a little bit better about myself.  It might have been out of my comfort zone but it was worth doing and hopefully the end result will be a better financial position for me and my family.

Some things are just worth spending the time, energy and effort on.

The apostle Paul said it like this:

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, dwell on these things. (Philippian 4:8 NASB)

Now, more than ever, we as Christians need to “dwell on good things:”.  We are under assault from those who do not believe as we do and by the one who hates God and His children most of all.  I believe that Satan knows that his time is drawing to a close and that he has stirred up the hearts of men to hate, to blaspheme, to kill and to destroy all that is good.

If we let him, Satan would steal our joy and our testimony just as assuredly as he is working to steal the souls of those who have not believed on the name of Jesus.  Choosing to keep our thoughts and actions centered on those things that are “honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good reputation, excellent and worthy of praise” is an excellent defense.  Even if it stretches us in uncomfortable directions and forces us out of the familiar and into strange new areas, it is always worth it.