Text: “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5).
What is your attitude? All of us have an attitude. Some of us have a good attitude and some of us have a nasty attitude. What is this thing called attitude? Our attitude is our outlook on something or some matter. It depends on our frame or state of mind at the moment.
We can open our eyes in the morning anxious and excited about getting out of bed and say, “Good morning, Lord!” or on the other hand, we may be grumpy because we are tired due to a poor nights sleep or going to bed late, and we say, “Good Lord, morning!”
Our attitude shows forth in both scenarios. In one scenario, our state of mind is positive. We are excited about the day and we are ready to face the world with a smile on our face and a song in our heart. However, in the second scenario, we are in a different state of mind. We don’t want to get up, we are tired and we are definitely not excited. Our attitude is negative because our state of mind is negative.
A person’s attitude shows forth in various circumstances and situations. If there is a long line at the grocery store or you are in line, but the person in front realizes they forgot to get something and decides to go back and get it or sends the bagger back to get it. You become a little agitated and your Sunday Christian state of mind turns negative, giving a boost to your negative attitude, causing you to say something that later you will regret.
Before your state of mind or your attitude causes you to say or do the wrong thing, you should ask yourself the question, “What Would Jesus Do?” If we take time to answer the question, our attitude will remain positive and we will not do something to hurt the feelings of the other person or make ourselves look like a donkey (there are 150 places in the Bible that call this animal by a three-letter name).
During the course of the day our attitude can change because of what someone said to us; how we have been treated; weather change; car that doesn’t start or has a flat tire; the slow movement of traffic on the way home; the car that changes lanes with out letting us know; the motorcycle or bicycle rider who rides up between the cars while we are waiting for the traffic light to change or a host of other incidents.
When you get all bent out of shape causing a change in your state of mind or your attitude, stop and asked yourself the question: “What Would Jesus Do?” When someone criticizes you or says something ugly to you, do as Jesus did; “…turn the other cheek…” (Matthew 5:39).
When you do this, your attitude will remain positive.
You won’t be upset or angry and you won’t do something that later you might regret. “Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another…Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12 9, 10, 21).
Jesus never projected a negative image. This just was not His way. He was not a fighter, but He was a lover. He did not always like what people were doing or how they were acting or the negative attitude they had, but nevertheless, He loved them.
Jesus’ great attribute was love. He had enemies, but His attitude toward them was to love them. He told us to do the same. He said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who prosecute you… (Matthew 5:44).
There are times we criticize other people for some reason causing us to develop an attitude contrary to that of a Christian. Our attitude becomes negative instead of positive. This causes us to be critical instead of being helpful.
Sometimes we criticize because we do not know the whole story or because we really don’t see the true picture. In other words, our vision is not as clear as it should be resulting in an attitude of unkindness and an attitude that can cause hurt. Listen to this business man who had blurred vision:
A businessman was highly critical of his competitors’ storefront windows. “Why, they are the dirtiest windows in town,” he claimed. Fellow business people grew tired of the man’s continual criticism and nitpicking comments about the windows. One day
over coffee, the businessman carried the subject just too far.
Before leaving, a fellow store owner suggested the man get his own windows washed. He followed the advice, and the next day at coffee, he exclaimed, “I can’t believe it. As soon as I washed my windows, my competitor must have cleaned his too. You should see them shine” (author unknown).
Confucius said, “Don’t complain about the snow on our neighbor’s roof when your own doorstep is unclean.”
Jesus says something similar when he tells us not to look at the speck in our brother’s eye until we remove the plank from our own eye. (Matthew 7:3-5). When we do this, we are forming a negative or critical attitude. In other words, don’t judge your neighbor, friend, family or anyone else, because each of us will be judged.
When we live a Godly life, we are living a life for Almighty God. We are doing what is pleasing in His sight. We do charitable deeds for people, but we do not do them to be seen by people. Our attitude should be an attitude of helpfulness, kindness and love.
We should not do things for people and expect to get something in return. By the same token, we are not to make a big scene in front of other people when we are trying to do a good for someone.
Jesus said, “When you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets…, but when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly” (Matt. 6:2-3).
Everything Jesus did for people, He did so His Father would receive the glory and the honor. His attitude toward people was to love them regardless of what their status might be. He knew people and He knew that people deserved the same respect and appreciation regardless of their status in life; what work they did; where they lived or the color of their skin. He knew His attitude would reflect the attitude of His Father.
Story by: Bill Greer, “Chicken Soup for the Veteran’s Soul”
During my second month of nursing school, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: ‘What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?” Surely, this was some kind of joke.
I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank.
Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. “Absolutely,” said the professor. “In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say ‘hello’.” I’ve never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.
Jesus never had an uncaring attitude toward anyone. When the centurion came to Jesus seeking healing for his servant, Jesus did not turn him away or show disrespect in any way. He was willing to go to the servant, but the centurion just needed Jesus’ word that his servant would be healed. Jesus said, “Go! It will be done just as you believed it would” (Matthew 8:13).
The centurion’s faith was strong because of his positive attitude toward God. His thoughts were centered on Jesus and there was no doubt in his mind that his servant would be healed. If the centurion’s attitude had been negative, he would never have thought of coming to Jesus, let alone, believing in Him and His word.
Paul says to the Philippians, “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same passion, then make my joy complete be being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose” (Philippians 2:1-2).
If your thoughts lead you to having an attitude of encouragement because you are united with Jesus, then praise God. Give honor and glory to God because of what Jesus has done for you.
Paul was trying to get the Philippians to understand their attitude toward other people must be like Jesus’ attitude, which was an attitude of love. When we care about what other people are going through, then our attitude is the same as Jesus’ attitude and we see what can be done to help those people. Working together calls for an attitude of care and a prayer of thanks to God, our Father.
We must remember that throughout his entire life her upon the face of the earth, Jesus attitude was that of putting others first. He was not concerned about making a good impression on other people, but His attitude was an attitude one of concern.
If we are going to live Godly, we must do nothing out of pure selfish motives. Jesus never considered Himself better than anyone else, although He was God. He humbled himself and took on a human body. He not only took on the human body, but he took on all the good and bad things that human beings encounter. He suffered as no human has ever suffered. He possessed the same traits and characteristics each of us possess.
Jesus did not use the power He possessed, but instead, He set it aside and assumed the same power each of us has. His attitude toward humanity was so positive that He laid aside His attributes of being omnipotent (all-powerful), omnipresent (present everywhere) and omniscient (knowing everything).
We must never develop the attitude that we are better than our family, friends, co-workers or anyone else. If we do, then our attitude is negative and if our attitude is negative, we cannot live a Godly life.
“And (Jesus) being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8). Jesus was the most humble man ever. He had no material or worldly possessions. He said, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (Luke 9:58).
Jesus was saying that the animals had more worldly possessions than He had. He didn’t have a place called home. He ate whatever was available, which was probably fish, nuts and fruits. He did not have His own animals on which He could ride. He owned nothing worldly. Jesus walked everywhere he went. I don’t know for sure, but I heard or read somewhere that His ministry involved walking a total of about 120 miles.
Jesus’ attitude for what He possessed and the work He did was an attitude of thanks. He was constantly in touch with the Father and thanked His Father for what He had and what He didn’t have.
How many times do we thank Almighty God for the many possessions we don’t have? Usually our attitude is one of self pity, when in reality we should be thanking God for what we have and what we don’t have.
We are trying to bring ourselves attention by complaining. By complaining, we hope people will feel sorry for us. By complaining we are forming a negative attitude and a negative attitude will not permit us to live a Godly life. Our attitude has a lot to do with how we are going to live our life.
Listen to this little story entitled:
“How Poor We Are”
One day a father and his rich family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of show him how poor people can be. They spent a day and a night on the farm of a very poor family. When they got back from their trip the father asked his sons, “How was the trip?”
“Very good Dad”
“Did you see how poor people can be?” the father asked.
“Yeah!”
“And what did you learn!”
The son answered, “I saw that we have a dog at home, and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden; they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lamps in the garden, they have the stars. Our patio reaches to the front yard, they have a whole horizon.” When the little boy was finishing, his father was speechless.
His son added, “Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are!”
Conclusion:
Our attitude is very important in our effort to live a Godly life. Our attitude should be like Jesus’ attitude which was an attitude of love. We have people who might be considered our enemies for whatever reason, but we are to love them just as Jesus loved people who were against Him.
Remember, His enemies nailed Him to the Cross, but nevertheless, He said, “Father, forgive them, for the do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34). He forgave them out of love.
“He is despised and rejected by men…He was wounded for our transgressions…He was bruised for our iniquities…He was oppressed and He was afflicted…He was led as a lamb to the slaughter” (Isaiah 53:3, 5, 7).
All these things Jesus suffered, but His love was so strong for man that He said, “…love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).
If we are to live a Godly life, we must follow the examples Jesus set before us. At times we need to ask ourselves the question: “What would Jesus Do.”
We are not to seek glory and honor for ourselves, but we are to do as Jesus said, “I am not seeking glory for myself, but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge” (John 8:50).
Our attitude toward people is a reflection of our attitude toward Almighty God which in turn is an outward indication of our living a Godly life.
Amen.
