Passionate About Poop

There's an emoji for it, social media backgrounds full of little piles of it. The poop piles have eyes. Cartoons, sayings, jokes…. It seems the world has gone crazy about excrement.

I don't understand.

Call me old fashioned. Not too long ago, scatological references were taboo. In many parts of the world, they still are. So why the fascination?

Farmers call it natural fertilizer. I seriously doubt that any of them would draw cow pie pictures and give them eyes.

So, why do I bring up this topic at all? (Gross, I know.) Because, though everyone necessarily knows about feces, it's not a lovely subject for our thoughts. It's an ugly way to express ourselves (along with puke and some others). I believe it indicates how far we've sunk. Remember when emojis were basically smiley faces? Case in point.

Where should our thoughts be? The Bible gives us the best outline: Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things (Philippians 4:8). Pure, lovely, good, praiseworthy … think about these things.

Instead of references to ugly stuff, let's focus our thoughts on what's beautiful. And, the next time we want to share something on social media, let's make it praiseworthy.

Let's make this practical.

What does God call beautiful or lovely?

• Women, such as Rachel, Abigail, Bathsheba, Esther, the Shulamite (Solomon's wife)
• Men, such as David, Saul, Jonathan, even old men with white hair
• The garments used in the Tabernacle worship were for glory and beauty.
• Jerusalem, the city of God. Also, the gate of the Temple was called Beautiful.
• Holiness in worship: Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness (1 Chronicles 16:29).
• The Lord Himself: One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple (Psalm 27:4).
• God's creation: He hath made every thing beautiful in his time (Ecclesiastes 3:11a).
• Feet: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! (Isaiah 52:7)
• How God "dressed" Israel was beautiful. (Ezekiel 16)

We can rejoice in creation. It points us to the Lord, the Maker of all this beauty. We can praise the Lord.

We can center our thoughts on the Bible. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But; his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night (Psalm 1:1-2).

I'm afraid we're so obsessed with all the crud in the world—and in our own lives—that we forget to discipline our minds to Philippians 4:8 thinking. The next time you think how poopy something is, change your thoughts. Look up. View the clouds, stars, and sunset. Look around you and smell the roses. Praise God in your heart.

That's a great beginning towards having a Christ-like mentality.

If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him,

as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation

the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is

created in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:21-24).

… if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

(Philippians 4:8)