Welcome to "Tuesday Morning"—a guide to brighter days and a more fulfilling future.

 

I can't remember the first time I heard the tale. I know I was very young. I can't remember who told the story to me, but whoever did it left me a legacy of story telling that I will always treasure. According to the Internet, the story first appeared under the title Thinking One Can in 1906, in a publication entitled Wellsprings for Young People, a Sunday school publication. In 1910 the story, The Pony Engine, appeared in the Kindergarten Review. Authorship was attributed to Mary C. Jacobs (1877-1970). By now you have guessed the contemporary name of the story, "The Little Engine that Could." It is a story with a moral and was used to teach young children the value of positive thinking, followed by hard work.

 

According to the story, a long train of railroad cars was ready to be hauled over a high mountain. The plan was to solicit the help of any one of several large, powerful steam engines that were capable of hauling the train to its final destination. All were invited to accept the challenge. None did. They all had excuses. Finally, word was received that the smallest engine in the engine house—named "Tillie" in the film rendition of the story—had agreed to accept the challenge. After a mighty struggle, "The Little Engine that Could" succeeded in pulling the train over the mountain top while repeating its motto, "I-think-I-can." The celebration of the little engine could be heard all the way down the back side of the mountain, "I-thought-I-could" and finally, "I-knew-I-could. I-knew-I-could."

 

It is a story of self-discovery. The little train began with some hesitancy that turned to anxiety, but finally finishing with an incredible sense of achievement. It all began with an undersized steam engine "thinking" it could achieve the impossible. And it did.

 

All great achievements begin with a thought—a vision of a task completed. Managing one's thought processes is a key to achieving excellence in life. This week's epistle is entitled "Thought Management." Continue reading and then start thinking about some mountain in your life that needs to be topped, and top it!

 

Tom Barnard

A Senior Encourager

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Thought Management

Tom Barnard

 

ave you ever thought about the various types of management that we have available to us today? Actually, before I began to write on the subject of this week’s essay—Thought Management—I rarely thought about the number and variety of management systems operating today. Here are some management terms that most of us are familiar with:

 

Time management…risk management…personnel management…health-care management…food management…project management…business management…money management…organizational management…stress management…debt management…and weight management.

 

Thought management is not on the list, but it should be. In his book, Just Like Jesus (Word Publishing, 1998), Max Lucado observes, “For most of us, thought management is, well, unthought of.” He goes on to ask, “Shouldn’t we be as concerned about managing our thoughts as we are managing anything else?” (Page 119). The answer he is pulling for is, “Yes, we should.” Why? Because things good and things bad both pass through the brain before our body comes alive. We think, and then we act.

 

“Management” generally refers to persons who possess the power, authority, and responsibility to make decisions that result in the operation of an enterprise. When applying the term practically, I like to use the terms “control” or “guard” to describe what the manager does. The chief operating officer of a business is responsible for the performance of the business. A baseball manager supervises the on-field operation of the team. An office manager makes sure that the functions of the office run smoothly. A bank manager is held accountable for protecting the assets and integrity of the bank. A store manager controls all aspects of the operation of the store—sales, marketing, customer service, products, supplies, and the people who work there. A fund manager guards the investments for which he or she is responsible.

 

Thought management is not group process; it is a very personal thing—an individual thing. No other person has the final say on what you think about. Perhaps Solomon had this in mind when he wrote, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” (Proverbs 4:23 NIV).” Another translation of this verse reads, “Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life” (NCV).

 

The apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians, “What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds” (Gal. 6:7 The Message). Thought management is like plant management. If we allow our thoughts to degenerate into thoughts about lust, criticism, anger, selfishness, and greed, we will harvest actions that are born out of our thoughts. If, on the other hand, we think about supporting and encouraging others, giving our money to help others, practicing kindness and generosity, our behavior will follow the pattern established in our thoughts. We will harvest what we sow. Paul continued, “The one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life” (Gal. 6:8).

 

One final thought. As Paul was finalizing his thoughts for his letter to the Church at Philippi, he said this:

 

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you” (Phil. 4:8, 9).

 

All good things begin with the process of thinking. Success and achievement don’t just fall out of the sky. The wind doesn’t blow them your way. Excellence is not a gift of the Spirit. It comes through human effort. Paul advised the Christians at Philippi to focus their attention on things “true and honorable and right and pure and admirable and excellent and worthy of praise.” That’s where true greatness begins!