In 1928 Eduard Spranger wrote about his studies in human attitudes. Attitudes are described as representing the individual’s way of viewing the world we know in connection with an individual’s preference to participate in it. Spranger described six major attitudes as noted in the following brief summary.
Aesthetic: A passion to experience the impressions of the world and achieve form and harmony in life; self actualization can be understood as a thought process that can evaluate situations correctly and honesty.
Individualistic: A passion to achieve a moral position and to use that position to affect and influence others despite the interference of other institutions as local government for an example.
Social: A passion to eliminate hate and conflict in the world and to assist others in becoming all they can be.
Theoretical: A passion to discover, systematize and analyze; a search for knowledge.
Traditional: A passion to seek out and pursue the higher meaning in life and achieve a system for living within the experiences of the ancestry of your culture.
Utilitarian: A passion to gain return on investment of time, resources and money with regards to minimizing the pain on others.
How do you view the world and your participation in it? May I also submit for your thought, an attitude that takes the best efforts of each attitude mentioned above? It would be a wonderful way to view and participate in life. Consider a Christ like attitude.
Have you considered a Christ like attitude in your life?
In Psalm 138, David is expressing confidence in God’s divine help in life. Especially when rough times hit, God will provide a time to rejoice. David wrote about his whole heartfelt “Thanks” for God. David acknowledges those humans in powerful positions giving “Thanks” to God. And more importantly David knows that times of trial and testing will be followed with times of joy that are of God.
Psalm 138:7–8 (Tanakh)
7Though I walk among enemies, You preserve me in the face of my foes; You extend Your hand; with Your right hand You deliver me.
8The LORD will settle accounts for me. O LORD, Your steadfast love is eternal; do not forsake the work of Your hands.
Have you considered putting a Christ like attitude in your life?
Reading 1st Samuel chapter 8 verses 4-20, we learned about a time Samuel is approached by the elders of Israel. Samuel is getting old and they do not see the right moral attitudes in his sons. So they ask to be ruled by a king. This bothers Samuel, so he goes to the Lord in prayer. God tells Samuel why the people really want a king. The people through the elders are expressing an attitude that rejects God and shows their distrust for God. Behavior attitudes that favor like others in the world are desired instead of attitudes that are divine.
Let’s ask our question again. What you be different about you should you put a Christ like attitude in your life?
Consider Paul’s letter recorded in 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 verses 13 through chapter 15 verse 1. Paul speaks about having an attitude like Christ Jesus. Jesus knew and had faith in God’s plan to raise him from death. There is a greater purpose in life than just life in the flesh. The sufferings of this life will be like tents they will be torn down, there will be death. Having a Christ like attitude for living life as our focus benefits us with an eternal reward to come. Like King David expressed in Psalm 138 a reward that is eternal.
The choice of attitudes we have are of our own free will. Will yours be Christ like?
Mark 3:20–21 (ESV)
20 Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. 21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”
To help us understand the action taking place; consider that Jesus had already spoken the “Sermon on the Mount”. And on the return trip miracles had already occurred. There was the evidence of not only healings but also the casting out of demons from people. The town people are so amazed they have turned out in great numbers. O great is the size of the crowd they could not even eat.
Let’s try to understand the actions of the family. Jesus is now so devoted in his calling that he seems like a different person. The passion Jesus is expressing in his calling into ministry is too shocking for them. They no longer can have Jesus as they were used to, the carpenter’s son. Jesus is now stepping out of that role and doing what God wanted him to do be the Son of God.
You can see a similar response in today’s entertainment world. There was an episode in the “Everybody Loves Raymond” TV series where the writers placed a story about Debra being upset when her hippie free spirited older sister shows up as a nun. Debra had wanted to keep the sister she knew. Especially a sister she felt herself to be better than. After all Debra was married and had children with one man. Her free spirited sister had lived in a commune.
For the family members this was not the Jesus they knew. They were not ready to accept him as the Christ. Consider what they were seeing that was different. Jesus was reflecting a deep passion and he had focus. Jesus displayed a sense of urgency towards a greater need for humankind. His life’s choice was to live life as David expressed; giving “Thanks” to God and trust in God for the eternal reward.
Mark 3:22–27 (ESV) 22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,”and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” 23 And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. 27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.
We can see in the attitude expressed by the scribes their rejection of the ministry of Jesus. But the attitude expressed by Jesus is to expand their individual search for honesty and truth.
Jesus acknowledges the presence of a real kingdom of evil and the personality of its leader, Satan. He further points out that it is not of common sense for a kingdom to fight against itself. The truth for the power in casting out demons then must come from the kingdom of God.
Mark 3:28–30 (ESV) 28 “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”
It is important to learn the truth being taught since it is of God. Every sin is not unforgiveable. The sin caused by using your mouth to speak against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
I try to be very cautious when I see the actions of preachers who are doing or saying things that are not comfortable for me to say or do. My concern would be that any jealousy causing me to speak out against them could be against the Holy Spirit. If God has called them into that style of ministry my verbal actions could be speaking against the Holy Spirit.
Mark 3:31–35 (ESV) 31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”
We are told that the family of Jesus wanted to look after him, but the crowd was so great they could not get inside to him. Maybe you can understand both their concern for his safety among the frustrated and quick tempered people of that time. The Jews in those days were an oppressed community living in their homeland under the rule of an occupying army.
Here is the truth to know from this event. Jesus looked around at all who were in the room. What was he looking for? He wanted to see who was doing the will of God.
Consider the question. When Jesus looks around the next time; will a Christ like attitude be seen in you?
