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Attitude

June 23, 2006

Philippines 2:12-18 "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, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, 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 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. 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. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me."

Life as a Christian is an ongoing process. We are not perfect and I dare say that most of us have a long way to go. Paul tells this group of Christians to "continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." Salvation is a process that is far greater and more complex than we sometimes make it out to be. While being "saved" or being made new in Christ is an instant and full process it is our "sanctification" or being made holy and righteous that needs to be "worked out." This is the part that we will be working on the rest of our lives and it takes time, hard work, and the power of God working in our lives to overcome our own human weakness. With Christ as our example and the promise of God who works in us to his own good purpose, we are able to make progress in our lives.

I believe that part of this sanctifying process has to do with the human attitude. The attitude can be defined as the position of the body or manner of carrying oneself. You can have a good or positive attitude or an arrogant, selfish, and hostile attitude or disposition. This effects how we view the world, our own life and purpose, and the people around us. It is difficult to view the world as God sees it and we are unable to fully grasp what it means to be Godly while looking at the world through our own poor attitudes.

I also believe that the attitude is something that does not control us, we in fact are able to control it. That's right, we can control our own attitudes. If we do not want to have a poor attitude, its something that we can change. It may be difficult, but it isn't impossible. Paul says in the second chapter of Philippians to "do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourself." In other words, change your attitude about others, change from conceit to humility. He also says "let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." In other words, change your attitude about yourself, stop making it all about you and make it about others as well. Paul then gives us a perfect example of the right attitude, found in Jesus. Jesus Christ, being fully God still came and "made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men."

Paul doesn't stop there. He also tells us to do all things without "grumbling or questioning (complaining), that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world..." In other-words, change your ATTITUDE! Stop grumbling and complaining like the rest of this crooked generation and you will stick out so much so that you will shine like lights in this dark world filled with the blackness of sin.

It seems to be stereotypical of Christians to gripe and complain about almost everything, especially Baptists. Whether its the music, the style of preaching, the color of the carpet, the laziness of our peers, or just about anything else that we can talk about, we gripe and complain about it all. Our poor attitudes dampens our spirits and darkens our moods and lowers our quality of life. This goes almost to the point where we could care less about the saving grace of Jesus Christ and the work that He has done through the cross and the love of the Father who sent his son to save those he had given him, and the hope we have in Christ and the future we have with God in paradise, because all of the joy in life that comes from being a saved, born again believe in the Lord Jesus is squelched and crushed by our own willingness to gossip, talk about things and people, complain, argue, and look at the negative side of every person and every things that we get involved in. We should be Christians that look at the bright side of life, seek out the good in every person even when it seems that there is no good to be found, and we should take on every circumstance and situation with joy and humility.

I found this story that I think goes well with this discussion:

A few years ago, a couple of adventurers tried to become the first to circle the globe in a hot air balloon. They took off from St. Louis, Missouri, rose to 24,000 feet, and started eastward across the Atlantic Ocean toward Africa.

The prevailing winds carried the balloonists on a direct course for Libya, which was a big problem. Libya is ruled by a dictator who hates Americans and doesn't want American balloons flying over his country. There was a pretty good chance that the balloon would be shot down if it crossed Libyan air space.

This brings up another big problem. Hot air balloons aren't easy to turn. In fact, they can't be turned at all. They're at the mercy of the wind.

But they can find different winds. This is done by changing altitude. At a higher or lower altitude, a balloonist can usually find a crosswind blowing in a different direction.

So the quick thinking adventurers started letting hot air out of their balloon and dropped 6,000 feet. At that altitude, they found a wind that was blowing south rather than east. Once they were safely to the south of Libya and its missiles, they heated up the balloon, rose almost 10,000 feet, and caught another wind that was blowing eastward toward their destination.

Balloonists are at the mercy of the wind and can go only in the direction that the wind is blowing. Likewise, some people think they are at the mercy of circumstances. "Stuff happens," they say, "and there's nothing you can do about it."

But there IS something you can do. Just as balloonists can change their altitude, so you can change your attitude. And when you change your attitude, you change your direction. You're no longer at the mercy of circumstances.

Remember what Paul wrote when he was in prison: "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4.) Paul wasn't a prisoner to his circumstances. In his heart, he was free. By changing his attitude, he was able to change the world.

We should not find it strange that people who are without Christ complain and find fault, but we should find it very strange to see Christian, born again believers to be doing the exact same things. Society around is twisted and distorted but shouldn't the changed Christian be different? A believer who is just as dark as the rest of the world cannot be considered what Paul calls one who shines as a light in the world.

It's also important to note that all of this stuff that we should work on in our lives is done within a "crooked and perverse generation." We don't have it easy. We can't retreat from the world and go live in a spiritual isolation ward where we can grow, instead we have to fight everyday to be sanctified in a world that does not lend itself to the things of God. It is when we are confronted with the needs and problems of the real world and we choose Christlikeness over everything else, that we begin to become more like Christ.

The first step in "working out your salvation" is changing your attitude. How do you see the world today? Hopefully through the eyes and attitude of Christ.

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