Is My Attitude As It Should Be?

I have heard people say they were treated better by the people in the bar in their past than they are treated by many Christians in the church today! Maybe you feel that same way? Maybe “church-people” have created discouragement, grief, pain and hurt in your life?

Maybe what began as a great adventure with the Lord suddenly went sour as these individuals began to preach their judgment and condemnation into your life? Maybe you have dropped completely out of church because of “church-people”? Sadly, if that is you, you are a part of a large group of individuals who have experienced similar treatment.

As a pastor, I feel your pain because through the years I have experienced very similar treatment myself. What causes this? What can we do to alleviate it? How can we turn this stigma around? It begins with each of us asking ourselves a simple question: Is my attitude as it should be?

Am I the person Christ has called me to be? Am I displaying Christ and His love and mercy to those around me? Do I have a forgiving spirit just as Christ has for me or do I justify my unforgiving spirit or my lack of restoring others by blaming others for hurting me too badly?

Paul challenged the church to understand it has a responsibility to restore people back to Christ and back into the fellowship when he said: “God has given us this task of reconciling people to him” (2 Corinthians 5:18 NLT).

He continued by further challenging our consideration of this by pointing out how each of us has been reconciled back to God through God’s own actions regardless of our depth of our sin, when he wrote: “For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them” (v. 19).

It bothers me to hear Christians claim they just can’t forgive this person or that person because they hurt me or my family too badly. What if Jesus were to confront these and say, “Your continual sinning prevents me from being able to forgive you any longer?” He certainly has more right to do so than we do to continue in unforgiveness and in a spirit of rejection of others because they have hurt us.

Paul challenged the Philippian church with some thought-provoking questions: “Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?” (Philippians 2:1).

The idea is to provoke a positive response from his hearers after a time of reflection and from that he continues: “Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose” (v. 2).

He encourages us to recognize that out of a tender and compassionate heart will flow agreement among the brothers, love for one another, and singleness in work, mind and purpose. He then challenges the church to adhere to these principles of living: “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too” (vv. 3-4).

Finally, he tells you exactly how your attitude must be as a follower of Christ: “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had” (v. 5). What was the displayed attitude of Christ? What kind of example did He leave for us?

“Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross” (vv.6-8).

That’s pretty tough! Does God really expect such a servant’s heart out of me? Does God really expect that I would deny myself and my own selfish ambitions and desires and seek the good of others? I am in a leadership role; I am a paid staff member; I carry a great deal of prestige in the community…is that still for me?

I suppose it depends upon the pedestal you have placed yourself upon. Is it above or below that of Christ? Is your heart, mind, soul and attitude reflective of Christ or of your own desires?

Only you can answer the opening question about your attitude and whether it is as it should be or not. But remember, one day you will answer to the Lord Jesus Christ for your decision and actions that follow!

The church has a responsibility to bring positive change to our society by filling it with the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ. If we harbor ill-will or unforgiving spirits or prevent people from finding a relationship with Jesus and with the local fellowship, we are failures in our mission. Certainly something to stop and think about!