Mind Wide Open?

Who would leave the doors of their house wide open? 

If you’re like me, I keep my front door bolted.

When I go to sleep at night, I alarm my doors in case of an intruder.

I choose whom I want in MY house. 

When I hear a knock at the front door at night, I turn on the porch light just to get a good look at who’s out there through the door’s peephole. 

An unfamiliar voice might speak through the door, telling me that they want to sell me something; however, I’ll only talk to them through the locked door. 

I’m more concerned about my own family’s safety than hurting a stranger’s feelings.

I once knew a person who let an unannounced stranger into her house. 

The stranger then asked her questions concerning the whereabouts of an acquaintance. 

To get the answers, the stranger pointed a loaded gun to her 4-year-old daughter’s head. 

It was a very frightening experience for her. I guess that’s why I’m so conscious of strangers at MY door. 

In the same way, we can’t leave the door of our conscious minds wide open. 

If we allow thoughts to wander in and out, they can cause a lot of damage.

We’ve done or said something that we regret, and before it’s all over we’ve harmed a relationship.

Once, I received a complaint from a customer. They told me that they had made a purchase, and the product had problems. 

Furthermore, they related to me that the location, which had sold the product, had closed. 

When the customer approached another nearby location about the problem (only eleven miles away) that location refused to honor the warranty. 

After I made arrangements to have the customer satisfied, I then asked the supervisor of the none compliant location to discuss with them the importance of performing warranty repairs.


Later, the supervisor told me that the none compliant location was still bitter because of his disputes with the out of business location. 

This was his attempt to express his bitterness by refusing to complete ANY repair work for that failed location. 

His refusal to honor the warranty was actually violating the terms of his employment; therefore, putting his own job at risk.

Instead of welcoming the healthy thought, which was the opportunity to build a relationship with a new customer. 

The bitter person dwelt on the destructive thought of getting revenge upon a location, which no longer existed. 

His hostile attitude offended that customer, and cost this location business opportunity. 

Destructive thoughts are like having a disagreement with another person, and then YOU taking poison to get back at THEM.


Before we let in ANY thought, we need to size it up just like we do a stranger at our door. 

Remember to ask yourself is this thought beneficial or harmful?

When a harmful thought knocks, you can lock your mind’s door with a key. 

The key is a better thought that YOU choose to think. 

After you involve your mind with a better thought, the harmful thought will tire of knocking and soon go away.

If you allow in harmful thoughts, they could eventually wreck your business, your home, and your relationships. 

Harmful thoughts can come from your own subconscious mind, the company that you keep, and your entertainment habits. 

On the other hand, choosing beneficial thoughts can improve your business, home, and relationships.

Learn to guard the door of your conscious mind, lock out those destructive thoughts, and choose to think healthy thoughts.“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life”. 

Solomon, King of Israel. Proverbs 4:23. (NIV)

M. H. Dennis