Commendable. Admirable. Of good repute. Excellent. Praiseworthy.

The first three words are used for the same idea in three different translations. And all of them can be put together to describe the last set of things that Philippians 4:8 tells us that our minds should be focusing on. However, the world’s standards of praiseworthy, admirable, and excellent are very different from God’s standards. We have to make sure we are looking at it from His point-of-view. Here are some things that God considers admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy…

The beauty of creation.

Children laughing… and singing.

Children who honor their parents.

A husband serving his wife.

A wife serving her husband.

A man or woman who has given up his or her dreams for the road less traveled.

A musician, formally a secular performer, who now serves Christ with his music.

A man or woman giving his/her heart to Jesus.

David. Man after God's heart.

Christ-followers who travel to the ends of the earth to proclaim the gospel.

Christians who let go of tradition and legalism... whose focus is on Christ alone.

A church... sold out to doing whatever it takes to reach whoever needs to be reached.

And this is just a short list. What can you add? Examine your thoughts according to these words: admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. How do your thoughts line up? Do you measure these words by the world’s standards or God’s? We get so wrapped up in the day-to-day and the problems in our world that we forget to focus on the excellence that God has given us to experience. 

My challenge is for you to write down three more things that are admirable, excellent, and/or praiseworthy (in God's eyes). This week, intentionally focus your thoughts on the beauty that God has given for us.