It’s all about attitude

Today I want to ask, “What kind of an attitude do you have?” While it is true that there are as many attitudes as there are people, attitude is an expression of the heart, who we really are. And the truth is that bad attitudes indicate bad people. Oh, we may not want to hear this; we may even come up with all kinds of excuses as to why ours is not any better, even blaming it on another, but the fact remains that our attitude is a reflection of who we are.

But rather than taking the time to talk about all the bad attitudes there are out there, I want to take a brief look into the greatest attitude that anyone could ever have, that which was in Christ Jesus, himself.

Paul says in Philippians chapter two, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

First of all, notice that if anyone was ever entitled to an arrogant attitude, Jesus certainly would have been. Paul says that he was in the “form” of God. That is, before he came to this earth, he had all the glory and attributes of Almighty God. Of all the attributes that could be listed, the most important to mention is that of his eternity. As mere mortal men, you and I have been created as eternal beings from the point of our creation (which begins at conception). Angelic beings also share this time reference in relation to eternity: From point of creation.

Yet Jesus possesses an altogether different point of reference as he not only is eternal out into the future, but also that into the past. In the minor prophet Micah, we are told, “But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” I have put the entire verse here so that you would recognize that this is clearly speaking of Christ Jesus, yet the Old Testament over and over again says that only Almighty God is “from everlasting.”

Thus I say that if anyone had the right to arrogance, it would surely be Jesus, for Jesus is Almighty God come in the flesh.

Yet, this was not his attitude. What did Paul say? He took upon himself the “form” of a “servant.” That is, he came to this earth to serve, not himself, but others. First, he came to serve God the Father, and went about doings the “works” of his Father. But he also came to serve the entire human race, and minister to them eternal salvation. Contrary to popular opinion, he was no community activist, for this life is only temporary. But as we have been created eternal from point of creation, beyond the grave there is more life to be had. The problem is that life in hell is not really life, but an everlasting death.

And then Paul says that he “humbled” himself and became “obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” You’ve got to understand what a contradiction this was. The Creator of the universe suffering the most cruel death his creatures had ever devised. Yet, there was no other way. God’s righteous laws must be upheld, and because the whole of mankind were sinners, they must either die for their own sins, or Jesus must die in their place.

Paul says, let THIS mind be in you. In other words, you need to have this kind of attitude. Our attitude needs to be one of esteeming others as better than ourselves. Rather than just considering our own needs, we ought to focus on those of others. No more selfishness; no more arrogance. Humility and servitude are the order of the day.

So again, I ask you, what kind of an attitude do you have?

Ron Hamman is pastor of Independent Baptist Church of Wasilla; contact him at 357-4229 or ron.hamman@gci.net.