Attitude. Attitude. Attitude. We hear it all the time. In the classroom, at home, and on the job. The way people subtly communicate how they are feeling about themselves and their environment impacts not only their own relationships and productivity, but it affects everyone around them. Charles Swindoll said: “Attitude, to me, is more important than … the past, …than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home.” The remarkable thing is that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. It is the clear reflection of what is in our heart, isn’t it?
When Jesus walked and talked with His followers, He not only showed them how to think about other people and their needs, but He demonstrated for them what it meant to serve, to help, to care. In His final hours before His arrest, He not only talked with them about their willingness to be a servant, as He was, rather than focusing on position and personal gratification, but He showed what He meant by washing their feet. As the writers of the epistles tried to help the new believers understand how to live out their new faith, they often used words like humility and service as guideposts for the way to think and feel about yourself and others. In fact, when Paul wrote his joy filled letter of encouragement to the Philippians, he said, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus . . . who took on the very nature of a servant” so that He could demonstrate God’s love for mankind.
How easy is it for you to get out your dustpan and broom? How quickly do you get out the soap and towel? It probably depends on whether your heart’s desire is to serve or to be served. Maybe it depends on what you believe is the path to greatness.
