In Paul’s list of things that should be the focus of our thoughts, he lists a series of descriptive terms. These terms are all focused on godly and God-honoring perspectives.

As he wraps up the first part of his list, he gives us the word “admirable.”

There are lots of ways we use this term.

We admire things and people. When someone builds a new home, we admire their home. We admire athletes, or actors, or leaders, or pastors.

But I’m not sure this is the admiration Paul has in mind when he uses the word.

When we look up the word in the dictionary, we get a better sense of what Paul’s referring to. According to dictionary.com, admiration conveys a feeling of wonder, pleasure, or approval or the act of looking on or contemplating with pleasure.

But the third definition listed hits pretty close to the meaning: an object of wonder, pleasure, or approval.

What Paul is saying here is that things that are admirable are worthy of our praise. This is not the same idea that Paul will state in the next sentence, when he uses the word praise with the idea of worship. This is more of the idea of praising the qualities of something, something that is well-spoken of.

So what is the object of our wonder? What is the object of our admiration? What is the object of our awe?

Or rather, perhaps we should ask “Who” instead…

It’s very interesting to me, as we examine each of these words in detail, that the object of each one ultimately is God himself.

Our thoughts should be directed towards that which is admirable, and not that which is offensive.

My challenge to you is to think on this today. Avoid the offensive. Focus on the admirable. Focus on the godly.

What that is admirable are you thinking of this week? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.