October 6, 2018

Check Your Attitude

Do everything without grumbling or arguing. – Philippians 2:14

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. – Colossians 3:23

It was her attitude that finally did her in. Her mistakes could be excused but not her mouthy arrogance. The saddest part? She can’t see how she destroyed her own chances for a really good job.

One day she talked about God. I want to believe there’s a part of her that really wants to know Jesus. I want to believe she’s searching. I hope so. I really do. Because Jesus is the only one who can open her eyes and help her make the changes she needs to make.

It’s the same for all of us. It’s only when life becomes about Him that our priorities shift. It’s only when we put stuff in its proper place, when we fill ourselves with gratitude, that we can truly begin to understand how wonderful He is.

She needs to know that Jesus loves her no matter what. She needs to cling to Him. Instead, she’s throwing out obscenities and talking tough. She’s struggling and pointing her finger at everyone but herself.

I don’t know what has happened in her past. I don’t know how the chip on her shoulder got to be so heavy. I don’t know why she feels the need to lash out toward those who are kind to her, those trying to help her, those who only want to be her friend.

There’s no gratitude in her heart. Only a sense of entitlement for something she hasn’t earned. She spends her days taking breaks and focused on her cell phone, oblivious to the fact she’s getting paid to do a job she isn’t doing. Others pick up the slack. She considers it all justified. It’s that attitude again.

I wish I could say it’s because she’s so young. We see it sometimes with kids. They haven’t yet learned that the world doesn’t owe them anything. That includes a position at the top of the ladder, complete with a six-figure salary and lots of prestige and perks.

No. She’s old enough to know that you’ve got to work your way up. Smooth-talking without substance will only get you so far. And attitude will send you packing faster than anything.

It would be easy to say it’s because she doesn’t know Jesus. The hard truth is many Christians are just like her. They go to work with lousy attitudes, determined before the first hour to have a bad day. They gossip and complain about everything, from the temperature to the workload. They don’t see a problem with that.

How do you think God would respond to that attitude? I guess we could ask the Israelites who wandered in the desert for 40 years. God got tired of their complaints. I suspect He’s tired of ours too.

Each day we have a choice. We can live in gratitude for every blessing. And, yes, you are blessed each and every day. Or we can spend our time complaining and blaming others for our misery.

Seek to find the good in each day. Work hard, working as though you are working for Jesus. Your circumstances might not change but your life surely will.