Christian Attitude

by Bill Irby

February 23, 2010

ATTITUDE AND THE CHURCH:
HOW DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?
If your attitude is not right, then nothing is right. Attitude is an interesting thing. The word is used in the world of fine arts to describe “the disposition of a figure in painting or sculpture.” It can also mean “the posture of the body proper to or implying some action or mental state.” The word is also used to describe “the orientation of an airplane or spacecraft with regard to the direction of travel.”
Each definition of physical attitude has this in common: the physical attitude is determined by ideas and forces inside the being manifesting the attitude. The painter poses the subject so as to present the internal state of mind he wishes to communicate. If I come to the plate in a baseball game I might well orient my stance so as to communicate an attitude of aggression toward the pitcher. The airplane is oriented as it is by the pilot, who is in essence the mind of the plane.
So it is that attitude can also mean “settled behavior, as representing feeling or opinion.” It means also “settled mode of thinking, as is in a person’s attitude of mind.” As Christians we all know the importance of our mental orientation. Our attitude is to be that of Jesus Christ.
We know Philippians 2:5-11. This is the passage that tells us that we ought to have the mind, or attitude of Jesus Christ. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” His mind is described as being a mind of humility, service and obedience. No reasonable person would suggest that having such a mind is an easy thing to do. It is not. But it is still ours to do. It is part of being a faithful child of God.
The world would have us think another way. A worldly attitude is one characterized by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17). The worldly attitude is one of “what have you done for me lately.” Worldly folks are all wrapped up in self. It is a sad way to live and a tragic end is guaranteed.
Christians are blessed in many ways. Chief among them is that we don’t have to live with a worldly, bad attitude. Now the sad part of this is that even though we know better and can live with a good attitude, and enjoy having the mind of Christ, some of us chose to have the same rotten attitude of folks caught up in this old world of materialism and frustration. Such should not be the case.
The problem is not new. Peter wrote this: “Finally, all of you be of one mind, sympathetic, loving as brothers, tender-hearted, humble-minded, not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult; but on contrary, blessing. You were called for this, that you may inherit a blessing” (1 Peter 3:8-9 in the McCord’s New Testament Translation). Peter told his folks that they needed to be careful about the attitude with which they approached each other. The same goes for us today.
Christians can, should, indeed, must have a loving, tender, humble and sympathetic attitude toward each other. This means there can be no “us versus them” attitudes in the church. This means that we cannot have cliques in the church. We cannot think that some of us are somehow better than others of us.
The attitudes the world sees as justified simply will not do in the church. We must have the mind of Christ. What we think is important, but how we think is perhaps more important. Peter says that the right attitude toward each other results in a blessing. What (and how) do you think about that?