Attitude Is Everything
You can have an impact and over time you can affect change, but we cannot just make others behave in a certain way.
Season 7, Episode 4 · Attitude Is Everything
Play the original Excel Still More episode here without leaving the article.
The story behind the idea
We'll be talking about the attitude of Jesus in Philippians chapter two and how we ought to relate to others. You can have an impact and over time you can affect change, but we cannot just make others behave in a certain way. Secondly, and along the lines of how I opened, we cannot control circumstances.
What stands out
I can decide what kind of an attitude I will have about my feelings. Our son Nick has been having a few health issues, and it's easy to get really scared and upset and anxious, and you can't stop that on a dime. What I can do, and prayer and other things is helpful, is I can decide how am I going to interact with him?
Why it matters
He was in heaven, he was in glory, he was exactly where he was supposed to be. We should have figured out a way to get to him, he should not have had to come to us.
A faithful way forward
He talks about the way Christians treat each other, their unity and their love, and regarding us and the family of God as more important than oneself. I've been doing this preaching thing for quite a while now, about half my life or more. There's been a lot of marriage counseling and all kinds of other things mixed in, and I could write a novel on the way it's everyone else's fault.
Put it into practice
Maybe I can dress a little differently here, maybe I can bring up some topics or ignore some other topics. I can't change what other people do, and I can't change whatever apprehension I'm feeling, but I can be the one to approach this in the wisest possible way. Of course, the secret to Jesus and to Paul is that they were not doing it out of self-interest. They genuinely wanted to see things work out well, not for themselves, not primarily, but for others and for their relationship with God.
Take the idea with you.
- 01What idea from this study most needs my attention right now?
- 02Where does this challenge the way I am currently thinking or living?
- 03What is one faithful step I can take this week?
Prefer listening?
The original episode player is available near the top of this article, so you can listen without leaving the page.