When I was growing up I did not like going to high school. I did not like English, History, or Algebra. By the skin of my teeth, I passed Algebra 1 and 2 with a “D” grade. Even though it was just barely passing, I passed. I tried to get my Dad to allow me to quit school, but he refused. When I graduated from high school, I never imagined that I would ever go to college, because I was not considered “college material.”
Even though I attended church regularly as a preacher’s kid, I was not a Christian. It wasn’t until I was twenty-two years old that I became a Christian. Within two months of being born-again, I found myself at Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Because of my poor study habits and bad grades in high school, I really struggled in college. I didn’t know how to study. There were some classes that I had to take three times before I passed the course.
When I met Becky (now my wife), she helped me with my classes and assignments, and my grades improved. By the time I was in my junior and senior years of college, I passed Greek 1 and 2 with A’s. That was nothing short of miraculous!
Psalm 19:14 says, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”
If you were given a grade for your words and thoughts, would they be “passing” grades in God’s sight? Would your words and thoughts be acceptable, or would they be unacceptable?
As Christians, we should do all to the glory of God, and that includes our words and thoughts. We should purposefully strive to get “passing grades” with the words we say and the thoughts we think. I’m not talking about being satisfied with getting a “D-” as that is just barely passing. No, we should do all we can to get an “A+” in our words and thoughts. In fact, I think it would be good if we strived to not only say or think what is acceptable, but we should have a goal to have words and thoughts that are exceptionally good for the glory of God.
If you stop and think about it, there’s not much difference between a D- and a F+. Our words and thoughts should be far above what the average unbeliever says and thinks.
While you may not always get an A+ after every “test” you may have, that should be your goal. How can you improve your “grades?” The Bible says in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
May your words and thoughts be acceptable in God’s sight today, and every day!