The Longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past, we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, that is our attitude… I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.
Jenny gave me a copy of those words by Chuck Swindoll last week. They certainly have the ring of truth to me, don’t they to you?
Attitudes. What are they? Here’s a few other quotes you may enjoy.
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. ~Herm Albright, quoted in Reader’s Digest, June 1995
The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes. ~William James
When you feel dog tired at night, it may be because you’ve growled all day long. ~Author Unknown
A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes. ~Hugh Downs
In last week’s lesson we talked about the process of maturity and how that process involves behaviors, attitudes, beliefs and relationships.
These characteristics are developed by instruction, discipline, mentoring, and fellowship.
The key aspects of each are obedience, humility, Christ centeredness, and love.
Today I want to look closer at one of those maturity process characteristics: Christian attitudes.
A godly attitude, just like godly behavior, comes from godly instruction, discipline, mentoring and relationships. Christian attitudes are Christ like attitudes. We can be very positive about God’s grace and truth while being very negative about evil and sinfulness and still have a Christian attitude through it all.
Listen again to the mature attitude for a Christian is described in Philippians 2:5-11
5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The key aspects of the attitude of Christ here are summed up in the words: humble obedience to God the Father.
Jesus was willing to let go of the glory of his divine form and take upon himself the form of a servant. Then when he found himself in that servant form, what did he do? He did what servants do. He served. He humbled himself. He obeyed. To what extent did he take this? Just how far did this attitude go? Where did Jesus draw the line of humble obedience? What was the finish line of his attitude? It was to his death! Even death on a cross! What an attitude!!! It was beyond humble and obedient… it was sacrificial. Therefore it was even redeeming towards others. Jesus’ attitude allowed him to express the divine love of God.
Jesus sets the “attitude” standard for all others who follow. “Have this attitude in yourselves,” says the Word of God, “which was also in Christ Jesus.” How are we doing here? Do you pass the Christian attitude test? Are you willing to grow into a more Christ-like attitude?
What follows in the second chapter of Philippians applies the attitude of Jesus Christ to us. There are some things here that can help us develop that very attitude.
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
Practicing the Christian attitude is obeying and working out our salvation. Notice this obedience is something you do even when no one visible is watching, when the teacher is out of the room. It is also something you do with fear and trembling. Why that? Because the fear of God motivates humility and obedience. But do you have the strength to do it? Do you have the power it takes to actually work out your salvation? Not if you look in and of yourself! God’s word tells us that are powerless, sinful, enemies of God apart from Him. So… Where does it this power come from? Look at verse 13 again. It comes from God who works in you to will and to do according to his good purpose. Can God do it in you? Of course! But he only works in those that humbly, obediently, respectfully, allow His work in them. This is a central message of all of Paul’s writings in the New Testament.
This is Christ-like attitude building 101. This is ground zero. You have to start with your eyes on Jesus as your instructor, discipler, and mentor, as well as your Savior and Lord. We can’t get anything off the ground by ourselves here apart from Him. The salvation we have received from Jesus Christ is unpacked by starting right here. Are you in? Ok, it’s time to move. Here comes the first behavioral assignment… Are you ready? And you’re not going to be able to pull off this next one unless you’ve got the guts to get going with fear and trembling and let God work in you. Just look at what the Christ-like attitude overcomes!
Here it is… It’s beautiful, but not easy. Ready?
14 Do everything without grumbling or complaining, (can be translated complaining and arguing or disputing)
15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe
16 as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.
Shall I read those words again? (read). Wow! That word “without” is a big one, isn’t it? You know we could all do without a lot of things, but doing all things without grumbling or complaining is a challenge, is it not? This is a Christian attitude building activity. Part of a Christ-like attitude involves what it DOES NOT do. Some things must go! Things that interfere with and actually conflict with the Christ-like attitude must go!
This is about living the sacrificial servant life in humble obedience. Grumbling and arguing are about living in selfishness and fault-finding. Those cloud and sour the bright loveliness of the Christ-like attitude. BUT, BE CAREFUL HERE. This does not mean “Polly Anna” positive ness that ignores evil and wrong around us. This does not mean there are no tears and sadness, no rebukes or corrections. In fact, if I see something wrong I have a responsibility to address it. Grumbling and complaining are not about correcting or even objecting to things outside of the will of God, they are about self centeredness that causes whining and other noises when things don’t go the way I want. A person with a Christ-like attitude knows the difference and responds appropriately.
Was Jesus grumbling and complaining when he rebuked the Scribes and Pharisees for their sins? No! He was expressing the same God centered and selfless attitude that took him to the cross.
Just look again at what we become when we refuse the selfishness of grumbling and complaining and center our attitudes and actions in Christ! We become blameless and pure! We shine like stars in a dark world! We hold out the word of life! And it is attractive to those whose hearts are drawn to God. Not to all, but to those who have hearts for God. Therefore as we do everything without bad attitude noises, we may still meet resistance. How should we proceed?
Listen to how Paul gives us an example and action to follow.
17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.
18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
Even if our efforts seem fruitless in our eyes, let us rejoice! Let us be glad! Let us share this joy and gladness with one another! If our energies seem to be poured out like a drink offering, let us look at Jesus who poured himself out for us and be glad.
Finally, Paul offers one more model of how to have the Christ-like attitude. Paul points to his young protégé and fellow servant, Timothy. Here’s another example of one who has proven himself and is worthy of respect and imitation.
19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you.
20 I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare.
21 For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
22 But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.
23 I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me.
Did you see verse 20? This guy is rare. He has the Christ-like attitude that everyone else needs. What does that look like? A servant who genuinely cares for others above himself. Wow! That’s beautiful! That looks a lot like Jesus!
So there you have it. We are called to Jesus Christ to be like him. Not just to be saved, but to be imitators of him, attitude and all.
The blessings are incredible: we become blameless and pure, children of God, shining like stars in the universe, holding out the word of Life.
Are you ready to grow in the attitude of Christ? Are you willing to take the challenge to be like Him?
Here’s what we need to do:
1. Focus on Jesus… prayerfully, hopefully, constantly.
2. Seek to find what’s right and support what’s right in each other.
3. Focus on looking like Jesus on the inside as well as the outside.
