What Were You Thinking?

[Dan R. Crawford]

A frequent question that follows an unwise action is, “What were you thinking?” It usually implies that had you been thinking properly, you would not have done what you did. An early example for me was watching my buddies smoke grapevine stems. Thinking I might enjoy that also, I lit up and inhaled, only to get a mouth full of ants. “What were you thinking?” Much later in life, I decided I was strong enough to carry heavy luggage all over Germany during a sabbatical leave. That thought resulted in hernia surgery. "What were you thinking?" Sometimes we allow our actions to overrule our thoughts. Mark Twain said it this way, “Life does not consist mainly, or even largely, of facts or happenings. It consist mainly of the storm of thoughts that is forever flowing through one’s head.” The writer of Proverbs said it like this, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). When thoughts determine actions, we do better. When actions precede thoughts, we often get in trouble. What are you planning to do today? Think about it.