The Power of Attitude

The attitudes of Jesus are much described in the Bible. The underlying attitude of Jesus controlling everything else in His ministry on earth was His complete submission to the Father. Every word He spoke, every thing He did, was given Him by the Father. He had one agenda in life – to do the will of the Father.

When we think of such an agenda for ourselves it would seem at first glance to be stifling to our own personhood and individuality. Conversely, the Father is interested in every aspect of our lives. He will bless in everything as long as it is wholesome, wise and Godly. If it doesn't fit these categories, He is still interested but with an eye of discipline for His errant child. Our Father is able to instill into us a far greater ability to do what we do, to think what we think, and to impact society – as long what we do is precipitated by His will, guided by His leadership, and done for His glory. All of the above is determined by attitude.

Negative attitudes are both the products of wrong expectations as exemplified by demanding one's rights. Asserted rights are an attempt to extend one's liberties at the expense of others. Rights we reserved for ourselves are ever expanding and indelibly linked to the boundaries we impose on others. Boundaries are an attempt to limit the freedom of others while extending our rights against them. When one has a wrong attitude, he will inevitably impose limitations on others at their expense and impose his own rights (also at their expense) to satisfy the demands of his own desires and resultant attitudes.

Others will rarely be able to survive unscathed when one has attitudinal problems. If he has some level of authority, he will impose expectations on others that demands that often are unreasonable, undeserved, undefined or unexpressed. I frequently hear people say, referring to their parents: "I could never please them. No matter what I did, they would find something to criticize." More times than not, such conditions prevail in a marital relationship.

The Children of Israel often expressed their wrong attitudes by their complaining (murmuring). God did not respond favorably to their attitudes. He often expressed severe displeasure and sometimes, gave severe punishment in response to their murmuring.

No one likes to be on the receiving end of the anger and criticism. A SOP in such situations, to give tit for tat – in other words, to retaliate. Demonstrating a poor attitude in the face of that of others is a sure way to bring destruction and defeat to one's self. Jesus had the better solution, when reviled, cursed, beaten, and despised He poured out more love. This is precisely what He commands us to do.

Attitude is always a choice. We can choose to have Godly attitudes or we can choose to have ungodly attitudes. Our attitudes must never be conditioned by the wrong attitudes of others. Proverbs teaches that a soft answer turns away wrath. If we react to the wrong attitudes of others we will only inflame the situation and harden the poor attitude of the other. Additionally our correspondingly poor attitudes will make us a slave to the attitudes of others.

Jesus humbled himself, even to the death of the cross. Regardless of how it may appear, the cross is always the answer to wrong attitudes. Walking in daily submission to the cross and to the Jesus of the cross keeps one in a constant state of loving humility. Out of such a posture one rises above his tormentors, becoming more than a conqueror. The foundation to victory in one's personal life is always determined by his attitude. As Paul said, "Therefore, let this [attitude] be in you that was in Christ Jesus!"

Jeff