As a Man Thinks

 

 

As a man thinks in his heart

So is he,

Eat and drink, he says,

But his heart is not with thee.

 

Whether of heart or mind

I will not here debate,

That they are both incorporeal

Is what matters at any rate.

 

My focus, however,

Will be on the human mind,

That innate, immaterial facility

We are using all the time.

  

It is always at work,

Some believe, even in our sleep,

The subconscious, some call it,

And that is pretty deep.

 

I am by no means an expert

In matters of the mind,

And so, I settle on Proverbs 23:7

And not what others opine.

 

As we think in our heart

That is who we are,

The mind is surely a better gauge

And in this, by far.

 

 

But who can know the mind?

There is only one I know

And I can step out boldly on this

Because Romans 8:27 says so.

 

And he that searches the heart

Knows the mind of the Spirit,

And so, he knows our mind also

And whatever we store in it.

 

You may have "five minds"

Re something you plan to do

But the truth is, you have only one,

And that one determines you.

 

As you think in your heart

So are you

And since it's the Bible says it,

You'd better considered it true.

 

What is more, it was Solomon,

The wisest that ever lived,

And the wisdom he demonstrated

Was not his wisdom to give.

 

 

God is wisdom’s source

And there is none besides,

James says it is heavenly wisdom

So, who are we to deny?

 

So, if you want to know me,

You must get into my mind

And I know that is impossible

Whatever you opine.

 

The devil cannot read it

As some people want to believe

And neither can a psychic,

Please do not be deceived!

 

The only one that can

Is the blessed Trinity:

God knows it, the Son showed it,

The Holy Spirit reveals.

 

What preoccupies one’s mind

Is who a person is

So, if you want to know yourself,

It is yourself you must quiz.

 

Do it with an open mind,

Be honest in answering yourself,

Self-talk is not insanity

And improves mental health.

 

And bear in mind, my friend,

You are what you think,

Your mind can determine today

Whether you rise or sink.

 

With so much at stake

I would therefore want to advise,

Let the mind of Jesus be in you

And let Jesus be your guide.

 

Stewart Russell © January 7, 2022

 

Brain Alacrity and Body Lethargy

 

 

As a man thinks so he is

But his body may disagree,

Check Proverbs chapter 23 verse 7

And this you will almost see.

 

Please note the difference

That I shall mention,

Heart and brain are not the same

To this you must pay attention.

 

“For as a man thinks in his heart

That is the character he be,

Eat and drink says he

But his heart is not with thee.

 

So one gets the impression

There be two with which we think,

We think in the heart it seems to me

And with the brain there is a link.

 

 

Check out the heart

When dealing with the emotional

But consult the brain

If the matter appears intellectual.

 

My focus I must submit

Targets the brain and not the heart,

Body alacrity and brain lethargy:

That’s the point at which I start.

 

No doubt you are wondering

What I am talking about,

This idea came to me this morning

When I gave my neighbour a shout.

 

 

 

He is quite a way up in age

But his brain is still thinking alacrity

And the speed at which it says to move

Conflicts with his body’s lethargy.

 

A stumble or a stump is the oft result

Whenever these two conflict,

When his brain says to “Go!”

At the same time his body says, “Quit!”

 

Often times then what a man thinks

He really is not,

The brain might be ready to go

But the body’s age says stop.

 

So as a man thinks in his brain

He very often is not

For depending on his age

He may be rooted to the spot.

 

 

This is no conflict with the Bible

For to the heart Solomon spoke,

I am thinking with my brain’s alacrity

But my body says, “Must be a joke.”

 

Consider your age my body dictates

“You are not as young as before.”

And before you step with alacrity

Contemplate body lethargy a bit more.

 

A word to the wise is sufficient

And by now you know I’m not that wise:

Brain alacrity and Body lethargy

Only precedes old people’s demise.

 

The young will never experience it

That is if they die before they get old,

Brain alacrity and body lethargy

Is for senior citizens only, I am told.

 

Stewart Russell © February 2019