THE BEST OUTLOOK IS AN UPLOOK

Perhaps you know this couplet from Lord George Byron's poem, “The Prisoner of Chillon":

"Two men looked out from prison bars;

One saw mud, the other, stars."

The uplook mentality is what Paul advises the Colossians: "Set your hearts on things above… Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other, forgive.... And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together.... Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts (Col 3:1-15).

What we look at and think about does have a big effect on us. In cybenetic jargon, the acronym GIGO is often used; it stands for "Garbage In, Garbage Out” – erroneous input into a computer results in erroneous output. So it is with our minds. If we fill them with the garbage of sleazy literature or questionable television programs and films; if we welcome worldly conversation or thoughts of envy, jealousy, avarice, pride, morbid fear, resentment, and so on—then we leave little or no room for God to work in us. When our outlook is not an “uplook" but a "downlook," we're not honestly facing God to let him work in us.

God "knows your hearts," Jesus told the Jews (Lk 16:15), and he knows ours too. He sees what we need and he wants to give it to us: "a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline" (2 Tm 1:7) – especially in the area of our thoughts.

This excerpt is from the book The Art of Loving God by John H. Hampsch, C.M.F., originally published by Servant Publications, 1995. This and other of Fr. Hampsch's books and audio/visual materials can be purchased from Claretian Teaching Ministry, 20610 Manhattan Pl, #120, Torrance, CA 90501-1863. Phone 1-310-782-6408.