13 April 2025

WATCH YOUR ATTITUDES

(Biblical & Spiritual Exhortations: BSE 7)

Attitude can be defined as the way in which a person views and evaluates something or someone. It can also be also a way of feeling or acting toward a person, thing, or situation. It may even be a tendency to respond positively or negatively toward a certain idea, object, person, or situation.

In regard to Human relationships, the Bible exhorts believers to have and maintain the same attitude as that of our Lord and Saviour: “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (Phil.2:5- NIV). This is regardless of race, religion, social status and morality. Jesus humbled Himself and became a Servant to all mankind. He also lay down His Life as an Atoning Sacrifice for all sinners so that they may be saved. He said, “The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give His Life as a Ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

The basis of this attitude is Agape Love – divine and unconditional love. Hence the Apostle Paul said, “The Son of God loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal.2:20). Then He exhorted the believers: “By Love, serve one another” (Gal.5:13). The Greek Text is much stronger: “By Love be slaves of one another”. So, Paul tells his readers to be “likeminded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others” (Phil.2:2-4). This is the practical aspect of adopting the attitude of Christ Jesus.

In regard to personal life, our attitude should be that of Humility and adopting Holiness. The Apostle Peter said, “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s Mighty Hand, that He may lift you up in due time” (1 Peter 5:5-6). Holiness is the expected virtue after Conversion: “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph.4:22-24).

In regard to the world and its attractions, we are “not to love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – comes not from the Father but from the world” (1 John 2:15). Paul describes his attitude towards the world thus: “May I never boast except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal.6:14).

Our attitudes reveal our spiritual standing and especially our relationship with Christ. These affect the way we live and behave and show what our true values are.

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