What Needs to Change?

"Jesus, knowing their thoughts..." Luke 9:47a

My focus in this passage about the disciples battling prideful thoughts is honed in on half a sentence. "Jesus, knowing their thoughts..." The disciples may not have been saying prideful things out loud, but they were thinking them in their hearts. They were wondering who would be the greatest among them. Jesus, knowing what they were thinking, drew a child to His side and said, "Whoever welcomes this little child in My name welcomes Me; and whoever welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me. For he who is least among you all - he is the greatest." (v. 48)

"Jesus Christ is perfectly acquainted with the thoughts and intents of our hearts." (Henry)  His Word says that He perceived their thoughts. He perceives mine as well. My thoughts are words to His ears, therefore I must strictly govern my thought life. I must consider whether my thoughts are truthful and in line with God's Word and what He says about me and how I should act, or if they are destructive, prideful, negative, or the like. I can build myself up according to His Word, or I can tear myself down. Thoughts in the latter category need to be taken captive and replaced with truth. "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5. The mindset with which I truly live my life - be it victorious or defeated, humble or prideful - is a reflection of my thoughts. So what does it say about the private dialogue I carry on in my head and my heart? What needs to change?

Father God, You care about every detail of my life, including my thoughts. You want everything I do - including what I think - to bring glory to Your name. I have some cleaning up to do in my thought closet. God, will You please show me what needs to change? Help me to tell myself the truth! Thank You for loving me enough to want me to have kind, humble, truthful thoughts toward myself. In Jesus' name, amen.