This morning I would like to introduce you to the little scoundrel named “Didn’t Think”!
Years ago some anonymous writer created a character he called “Didn’t Think.” I wish I could show you his picture. He is an ugly little dwarf, with so much mischief in him that it shows in both his eyes, in his puckered up nose, and in every line on his brow. Yet he being so small, you hardly notice the mischief.
Where does Didn’t Think come from? He does not belong to the royal family. He is the son of Don’t Care. And it is said that if you are not watchful, the first thing you know, he will have brought you under the dominion of his father, and you will be on your way to that long, long home where all your thoughts will perish.
Because YOU made friend of “Didn’t Think”!
Yet—strange as it may seem—he is popular! He has never had a problem being lonely. He has friends. Lots of them. He doesn’t wait for you to befriend him, he is right there when you ought to be thinking, idly wasting your time! How many times have you looked back on something that happened and said to yourself, “If only I would have thought before I spoke!” or “If I had thought, I would not have…” done such and such. If…If… if…
I’m here to expose the conniving of Didn’t Think. I want to accuse him to his face for the trouble he has made. Then I want you to alert everyone you know to watch out for his deceptive ways.
Believe me, he is NOT the friend you want. If you let him into your life, he’ll take you down, down, down, and you will never, never get inside the Kingdom of God!
I will begin by telling you some of his habits. He is very apt to get impatient over trifles because he lacks—you guessed it—perseverance. He is not looking for any lessons because he knows he is ALWAYS RIGHT. He doesn’t need to learn anything. Something is hindering you, and taking your time? Get out of it! No worry whether it comes out right or wrong, or whether it is done well, or poorly. Move on! That’s as far as Didn’t Think thinks.
But perseverance is so fundamental to Christ-like living that we have a hard time making any real progress without it.
Because the temptation is persevering! The book of James speaks directly to this need. The New Jerusalem Bible is especially good.
James 1:12–15 (NJB) 12Blessed is anyone who perseveres when trials come. Such a person is of proven worth and will win the prize of life, the crown that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
The one who “perseveres” thinks seriously, what to do, what not to do. He has patience—steady endurance—with the situation and finds the good in it. That is why God sees him as having “proven worth” and he will win the “crown of life.” Persevering takes determination, focus and THINKING. “Didn’t think” will never get there. Continuing with verse 13:
13Never, when you are being put to the test, say, ‘God is tempting me’; God cannot be tempted by evil, and he does not put anybody to the test.
If not from God, where does the test come from?
14Everyone is put to the test by being attracted and seduced by that person’s own wrong desire.
The test comes from our own wrong desire. And when we fail it, then follow the inevitable results:
15Then the desire conceives and gives birth to sin, and when sin reaches full growth, it gives birth to death.
This is where Didn’t Think takes us. Down, down, down to death.
As if this isn’t enough, “Didn’t Think” is an inveterate complainer. He would have found lots of friends and “good” company among the Israelites when they were on the way to Canaan. Recall what Paul wrote about those people?
1 Corinthians 10:10–11 10[Do not] complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.
They perished for their complaining! A serious offense. Would have been so much better if they had THOUGHT about what they were doing—against the God who had delivered them from Egypt’s iron furnace!
But Didn’t Think’s friends will defend him all the way. If you take his word for it, he never INTENDED to do a wrong thing. He always has a REASON for what he does. His friends will justify him all the way with a whole battery of excuses. Well, he isn’t always quite truthful, but he means well enough.
How does that lack of truthfulness square with the law of God? It doesn’t! Hear what Paul says, and notice that every command in the list is something to do with our words:
Colossians 3:8–10 8But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.
9Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
One of Didn’t Think’s worst faults is the way he idles away precious time. What Bible command speaks to this? Again it is Brother Paul:
Ephesians 5:15–16 15See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
“Didn’t Think” is also prone to choose the wrong companions, those who pull down instead of building up in the faith. Here is the command again:
Jude 20–21 20But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, …21keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
What is greater than keeping ourselves in “the love of God,” and looking for the “mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto ETERNAL LIFE!”
But Didn’t Think never thinks that way. How can he be careless about who he keeps company with? Again, it is because of his nature. He Didn’t Think whether they had spiritual interest or not. He didn’t think whether they would help or hinder him. If he had THOUGHT he might have known, so again the Word speaks to us: “Don’t be deceived.”
1 Corinthians 15:33 33Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”
The Moffatt Bible comes right to the point:
“Bad company is the ruin of good character.”
“Didn’t Think” has been backing unbelievers and scoffers for generations. Peter warned against him when he wrote his final epistle.
2 Peter 3:1–4 1Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder),
Notice Peter was writing to stir up their “pure” minds, minds that were thinking… so they would be reminded of what? Verse 2:
2that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior,
… far from “didn’t think,” they were to be “mindful” of the Scriptures, the things written for their learning, the words spoken by whom?
2… by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior,3knowing this first: [another something to “know”—to THINK about] that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”
Peter says this is a time for reality thinking. He says, Don’t be like the scoffers who close their eyes and live in a dream world. Because “all things” do NOT continue as they were. There are signs everywhere that the end of the age is upon us. Paul said also:
1 Corinthians 10:11 11Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
The ends of the ages—two ages–are upon us. The Apostolic age ended with the fall of the Jewish nation, and soon this age will end with the return of Elijah and Christ. This makes the present time of the utmost concern. As Paul wrote,
Romans 13:11–14 11And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
12The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
13Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14But put on the [character of the] Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
I’ve exposed this creature named “Didn’t Think” for what he is. Now get rid of him, and start thinking about each decision, each step.
Ask, What is right? What will God approve? Because:
These things “Didn’t Think” can’t do:
Take you to the world made new,
Rescue you from care and trouble,
Cut you off from griefs that double;
Make you victor o’er temptation,
Make you part of holy nation;
Help you join the faithful few…
These things “Didn’t Think” can’t do.
Why?
Because the Kingdom is for those who THINK!