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What’s Your ‘Tude?: Gratitude

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“It’s a good day for my bad attitude!” If that slogan’s speaking your language right about now, perhaps you should consider joining me this week to discover what the Bible says about attitudes. Could be a ‘tude adjustment is in order!

 

Gratitude

“I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.”

Luke 7:47, NLT

We’ve looked at the role our attitudes play in allowing us to show God’s love to others. We’ve seen how sinful attitudes are ineffective for reaching others with the love of Christ and harmful to our Christian growth.

Today, let’s consider one of my favorite ‘tudes—gratitude. As I have a natural tendency to take blessings for granted, I appreciate the work of the Holy Spirit in my life to remind me to stop complaining and start remembering the wonderful things God has done in my life.

Friday_Day_Five_Pic#2-Woman_oils_Jesus_FeetRead today’s Dose verse. It refers to the story of a woman who the Bible describes as having been immoral. She crashed a party at a Pharisees’ home in order to get close to Jesus, who was invited to dine with the Pharisees.  “When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them” (Luke 7: 37-38). The Pharisee was indignant that this immoral woman was not only at the party but that she “wasted” expensive oil on washing Jesus’ feet and dried them with her hair. Jesus reminded the Pharisee that he’d not even bothered to greet Jesus properly, let alone, anointed His head or feet with everyday olive oil!

He told them a story about gratefulness. (vs.39-46) This woman was so grateful for Jesus’ forgiveness that she went toFriday_Day_Five_Pic#1-grateful what looked like extreme measures to lavish her love and gratitude on him. But, she was so grateful because she’d been forgiven of many sins. She didn’t think she was too good to acknowledge her sinfulness. She valued the forgiveness extended to her. The Pharisees acted like they only had a few, if any, sins to be forgiven. Jesus said this is why they showed little love.

Showing an attitude of gratitude is important in our walk with Christ and relationship with others. It shows others that we appreciate their assistance and recognize we’ve grown with help, not on our own efforts.

God desires for us to have the attitude of Christ Jesus. Through Christ’s obedient sacrifice for our sins and the power of the Holy Spirit, we can. Now that’s something to be grateful about!

Grateful for forgiveness,

Rita

[Read the story of the woman with the alabaster box in Luke 7: 36-50.]

I’ve referred to Believers a lot this week. If you’ve not yet come into peace with God and would like our help to find out how you can, please contact any member of our ZMI team. We’d be honored to assist you.

What’s Your ‘Tude?: Servitude

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“It’s a good day for my bad attitude!” If that slogan’s speaking your language right about now, perhaps you should consider joining me this week to discover what the Bible says about attitudes. Could be a ‘tude adjustment is in order!

 

Servitude

“When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right…. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.” 

Romans 6:20-22, NLT

Thursday_Day_Four_Pic_#2-broken_chainYears ago, when I’d ask a certain acquaintance to help me with various tasks, she would more often than not reply with the quip, “What do I look like, your slave? Do it yourself, I’ve got more important things to do!” These days, I hear people say, “I’m nobody’s slave!” Or, “I won’t be anyone’s slave!”

But the truth is, it’s impossible to be middle-of-the-road regarding servitude. Everybody serves a master, so everyone’s somebody’s slave! The question is whose? Read today’s Dose verses. Before we surrendered our lives to Christ Jesus, we were easily consumed by an attitude of idolatry and self-centeredness. We were free to do what we wanted, when we wanted, and how we wanted, because we were guided by the fulfillment of our own desires.

This type of freedom was a freedom from doing right because all we were capable of doing was wrong. Our behaviors were wrong because our motives were wrong. Our motives were wrong because our hearts were wrong. Our hearts were wrong because our master wasn’t God; it was sin. Serving the master of sin may have appeared effortless and fun for some time, but focusing on our own desires gets old after a while. We have no power from the Holy Spirit to change our hearts so we’re caught in the grip of serving self and neglecting to find a bit of concern for others. We easily modeled the old adage, “I’m not much, but I’m all I think about!” The result of this type of attitude was agony and destruction. We weren’t equipped to serve anyone with the love of God. Thursday_Day_Four_Pic#1-Jesus_On_the_Cross

But once we surrendered our lives to Christ, we experienced an attitude change. Mastered by God and following the desires He placed in our hearts, we turned from our idolatry and self-centeredness to serve Him ahead of ourselves. In turn, we are able to let His love show through us in service to others. This is an attitude of servitude.

Christ modeled the best example of serving others to the point of laying down His life for our sins. He served God, the Father, in perfectly obedience.  When we’re willing to serve Jesus Christ, we have the Holy Spirit’s power to serve others around us, with a godly heart. This is how our lives are rebuilt and attitudes changed. Love does not demand it’s own way (1 Cor. 13:5).

Serving the Master is the sole way to a life of holiness and eternity with God. Whose slave are you?

Servitude over self-centeredness,

Rita

What’s Your ‘Tude?: Platitudes

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“It’s a good day for my bad attitude!” If that slogan’s speaking your language right about now, perhaps you should consider joining me this week to discover what the Bible says about attitudes. Could be a ‘tude adjustment is in order!

 

Platitudes

“Your platitudes are as valuable as ashes. Your defense is as fragile as a clay pot.

Job 13:12, NLT

Wednesday_Day_Three_Pic_#1-Famous_sayingsEver had friends fake-help you through a difficult time by giving you their rundown of the situation? They lob lofty-sounding quotes, impromptu analyses, and reasons for your dilemma. You feel worst than you did before their “help”! Today’s Dose verse reflects what Job said to his friends when he encountered their “help” concerning his suffering. He didn’t value their words.

The ERV reads, “The wise sayings you quote are worthless. Your arguments are as weak as clay.”  I don’t believe that all platitudes are worthless. At times, one spoken at the right time and in the correct way brought me exactly the comfort I needed and appreciated. It’s empty platitudes that bring no comfort or cause for appreciation.

An attitude of platitudes makes empty platitudes one’s go-to solution. It’s displayed when we routinely and carelessly offer empty platitudes to those who hurt, giving little thought as to whether our words are really helping them or not. This attitude makes us feel better that we said something “wise” while simultaneously preventing us from seeing that we really said nothing substantive at all.

Some of these empty platitudes are things that sound like they should come from the Bible, but don’t such as “God helps those who help themselves.” Others are our misinterpretations of Scripture: “God will never give you more than you can handle.” Perhaps the most damaging display of this attitude is when we (like Job’s friends) act as if we have all the answers to another’s problems. Job got upset with his friends because they were talking out of turn and authority and not helping. They came off as speaking for God.

Wednesday_Day_Three_Pic_#2-Compassion_signDon’t we do that sometimes? I know I’ve been guilty of this practice. We feel compelled to say something, anything, to make an uncomfortable situation easier. We rarely have the full story, God has not appointed us His spokesperson, but we proceed as if we do and He has! Does that reflect the attitude of Christ that we want to display? Christ’s love is displayed through an attitude of compassion. Why not tell our hurting friend that we’re available for them (to, stay, listen, pray, and empathize) or ask how we can help?

When Christ did this, people knew that He cared for them. That’s one reason I know He cares for me!  Love endures (I Cor. 13:7).

An attitude of hasty empty platitudes won’t give people hope; an attitude of steadfast compassion will.

Compassion over platitudes,

Rita