Attitude

Attitude

About approaching God.

(Ex 3:5-6) At God’s command, Moses removed his sandals and covered his face. Taking off his shoes was an act of reverence, covering his own unworthiness before God. God is our friend, but he is also our sovereign Lord. To approach Him frivolously shows a lack of respect and sincerity. When you come to God in worship, do you approach him casually, or do you come as though you were an invited guest before a king? If necessary, adjust your attitude so it is suitable for approaching a holy God.

Having a positive attitude toward God

(Ex 14:13-14) The people were hostile and despairing, but Moses encouraged them to watch the wonderful way God would rescue them. Moses had a positive attitude! When it looked as if they were trapped. Moses called upon God to intervene. We may not be chased by an army, but we may still feel trapped. Instead of giving in to despair, we should adopt Moses’ attitude to “stand firm and… see the deliverance the Lord will bring.”

Is yours more negative than positive?

(Nm 13:25-29) God told the Israelites that the promised land was rich and fertile. Not only that, He promised that this bountiful land would be theirs. When the spies reported back to Moses, they gave plenty of good reason for entering the land, but they couldn’t stop focusing on their fears. Talk of giants (descendants of Anak) and fortified cities made it easy to forget about God’s promise to help. When facing a tough decision, don’t let the negatives cause you to lose sight of the positives. Weigh both sides carefully. Don’t let potential difficulties blind you to God’s power to help and His promise to.

Snowball effect of a negative attitude.

(Nm 16:41) Just one day after Korah and his followers were executed for grumbling and complaining against God, the Israelites started all over with more muttering and complaining. Their negative attitude only caused them to rebel even more and to bring about even greater trouble . It eroded their faith in God and encouraged thoughts of giving up and turning back. The path to open rebellion against God begins with dissatisfaction and skepticism, then moves to grumbling about both God and present circumstances. Next comes bitterness and resentment, followed finally by rebellion and open hostility. If you are often dissatisfied, skeptical, complaining, or bitter – beware! These attitudes lead to rebellion and separation from God. Any choice to side against God is a step in the direction of letting go of Him completely and making your own way through life.

Lashing out a sign of wrong attitude.

(Nm 22:29) The donkey saved Balaam’s life but made him look foolish in the process, so Balaam lashed out at the donkey. We sometimes strike out at blameless people who get in our way because we are embarrassed or our pride is hurt. Lashing out at others can be a sign that something is wrong with us. Don’t allow your own hurt pride to lead you to hurt others.

Don’t conform to those of society.

(Jgs 17:2) Micah and his mother seemed to be good and moral and may have sincerely desired to worship God, but they disobeyed God by following their own desires instead of doing what God wanted. The attitude that prevailed in Micah’s day was this: “Everyone did as he saw fit” (17:6). This is remarkably similar to today’s prevailing attitudes. But God has given us standards. He has not left our conduct up to us and our opinions. We can avoid conforming to society’s low standards by taking God’s commands seriously and applying them to life. Independence and self-reliance are positive traits, but only within the framework of God’s standards.

Attitudes toward menial tasks.

(Ru 2:7) Ruth’s task, though menial, tiring, and perhaps degrading was done faithfully. What is your attitude when the task you have been given is not up to your true potential? The task at hand may be all you can do. Or, as in Ruth’s case, it may be a test of your character that can open up new doors of opportunity.

Do you let others dictate your attitude?

(1 Sm 8:19-20) Israel was called to be a holy nation, separate from and unique among all others (Leviticus 20;26). The Israelites’ motive in asking for a king was to be like the nations around them. This was in total opposition to God’s original plan. It was not their desire for a king that was wrong, but their reasons for wanting a king.

Often, we let others’ values and actions dictate our attitudes and behavior. Have you ever made a wrong choice because you wanted to be like everyone else? Be careful that the values of your friends or “heroes” don’t pull you away from what God says is right. When God’s people want to be like unbelievers, they are heading for spiritual disaster.

Attitude of always looking for good in others.

(2 Sm 1:17-27) Saul had caused much trouble for David, but when he died. David composed a lament for the King and his son. David had every reason to hate Saul, but he chose not to. Instead he chose to look at the good Saul had done and to ignore the times when Saul had attacked him. It takes courage to lay aside hatred and hurt and to respect the positive side of another person, especially an enemy.

Effective living begins with the right attitudes.

(2 Kgs 1:13-15) Notice how the first two captains called Elijah “man of God,” they were not being genuine – God was not in their hearts. The third captain also called him “man of God,” but he humbly begged for mercy. His attitude showed respect for God and his power and saved the lives of his men. Effective living begins with a right attitude toward God. Before religious words come to your mouth, make sure they are from your heart. Let respect, humility, and servanthood characterize your attitude toward God and others.

Color our personality.

(Prv 15:15) Our attitudes color our whole personality. We cannot always choose what happens to us, but we can choose our attitude toward each situation. The secret to a cheerful heart is filling our minds with thoughts that are true, pure, and lovely, with thoughts that dwell on the good things in life (Philippians 4:8). This was Paul’s secret as he faced imprisonment, and it can be ours as we face the struggles of daily living. Look at your attitude and then examine what you allow to enter your mind and what you choose to dwell on. You may need to make some changes.

Do your attitudes reflect the values of the world or Christ?

(Mt 5:3-12) With Jesus’ announcement that the kingdom was near (4:17), people were naturally asking, “How do I qualify to be in God’s kingdom? Jesus said that God’s kingdom is organized differently from worldly kingdoms. In the kingdom of heaven, wealth and power and authority are unimportant. Kingdom people seek different blessings and benefits, and they have different attitudes. Are your attitudes a carbon copy of the world’s selfishness, pride, and lust for power, or do they reflect the humility and self-sacrifice of sharing love with God.

Outward obedience without a change of heart.

(Mt 5:20) The Pharisees were exacting and scrupulous in their attempts to follow their laws. So how could Jesus reasonably call us to a greater righteousness than theirs? The Pharisees’ weakness was they were content to obey the laws outwardly without allowing God to change their hearts (or attitudes). Jesus was saying therefore that the quality of our goodness should be greater than that of the Pharisees. They looked pious, but they were far from the Kingdom of God. God judges our hearts as well as our deeds, for it is in the heart that our real allegiance lies. Be just as concerned about your attitudes that people don’t see as about your actions that are seen by all.

Slipping into skeptical attitudes.

(Mt 11:16-19) Jesus condemned the attitude of His generation. No matter what He said or did, they took the opposite view. They were cynical and skeptical because he challenged their comfortable, secure, and self-centered lives. Too often we justify our inconsistencies because listening to God may require us to change the way we live.

Must be consistent with actions.

(Mt 15:8-9) The prophet Isaiah also criticized hypocrites (Isaiah 29:13), and Jesus applied Isaiah’s words to these religious leaders. When we claim to honor God while our hearts are far from Him, our worship means nothing. It is not enough to act religious. Our actions and our attitudes must be sincere. If they are not, Isaiah’s words also describe us.

Sin begins with wrong attitudes.

(Mk 7:18-19) Do we worry more about what is in diets than what is in our hearts and minds? As they interpreted the dietary laws (Leviticus 11), the Jews believed they could be clean before God because of what they refused to eat. But Jesus pointed out that sin actually begins in the attitudes and intensions of the inner person. Jesus did not degrade the law, but He paved the way , for the change made clear in Acts 10:9-29 when God removed the cultural restrictions regarding food. We are not pure because of outward acts – we become pure on the inside as Christ renews our minds and transforms us into his image.

Developing new ones toward problems.

(Luke 12:13) Problems like this were often brought to rabbis, for them to settle. Jesus response, though not directly to the topic, is not a change of subject. Rather Jesus is pointing to a higher issue – a correct attitude toward the accumulation of wealth. Life is more than material goods, far more important is our relationship with God. Jesus put His finger on this questioner’s heart. When we bring problems to God in prayer, He does the same – showing us how we need to change and grow in our attitude toward the problem. The answer is often not the one we were looking for, but it is more effective in helping us trace God’s hand in our heart.

Attitudes toward money and wealth.

(Mk 10:21) What does your money mean to you? Although Jesus wanted this man to sell everything and give his money to the poor, this does not mean that all believers should sell all their possessions. Most of His followers did not sell everything, although, they used their possessions to serve others. Instead, this story shows us that we must not let anything we have or desire keep us from following Jesus. We must remove all barriers to serving Him fully. If Jesus asked, could you give up your house? Your car? Your level of income? Your position on the ladder of promotion? Your reaction may show your attitude toward money – whether it is your servant or your master.

Hurtful attitudes toward others.

(1 Cor 10:33) Paul’s criterion for all his actions was not what he liked best, but what was best for those around him. The opposite attitude would be: (1) being insensitive and doing what we want, no matter who is hurt by it, (2) being oversensitive and doing nothing, for fear that someone may be displeased, (3) being a “yes” person, by going along with everything, trying to gain approval from people rather than from God. In this age of “me first” and “looking out for number one.” Paul’s startling statement is a good standard. If we make the good of others, one of our primary goals, we will develop a serving attitude that pleases God.

Attitude of worldliness.

(1 Jn 2:15-16) Some people think that worldliness is limited to external behavior – the people we associate with, the places we go, the activities we enjoy. Worldliness is also internal because it begins in the heart and is characterized by three attitudes: (1) the cravings of sinful men – preoccupation with gratifying physical desires; (2) the lust of the eyes – craving and accumulating things, bowing to the God of materialism, and (3) boasting of what you have and do – obsession with one’s status or importance. When the serpent tempted Eve (Genesis 3:6), he tempted her in these areas. Also, when the devil tempted Jesus in the desert, these were his three areas of attack (see Matthew 4:1-11).

By contrast, God values self-control, a spirit of generosity, and a commitment to humble service. It is possible to give the impression of avoiding worldly pleasures while still harboring worldly attitudes in one’s heart. It is also possible, like Jesus, to love sinners and spend time with them while maintaining a commitment to the values of God’s kingdom. What values are most important to you? Do your actions reflect the world’s values or God’s values.

As a child of God and of a human we will need to deal with authorities