Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Attitude”
Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore I urge you to imitate me.” 1 Corinthians 4:16 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Your attitude impacts and influences other people.”
Doesn’t it sound as if Paul was being a bit arrogant when he wrote to the Corinthian Christians, “I urge you to imitate me.”? I suppose it could read as arrogant if you didn’t know Paul. Paul understood the importance of mentorship and he also knew that his example would have an influence (positive or negative) on those who observed his conduct and who looked up to him.
And so, Paul made it a point to conduct himself well. He first learned from and imitated the example of Jesus, and then he made it a point to model that example for others. So when Paul urged other Christians to learn from him, he was by extension urging them to learn from Jesus through him.
I’ve heard it said and I know it’s true that “Sometimes the life of the teacher is more than half the lesson.” What that means is that even more important than the words the teacher speaks is the way in which the teacher lives his or her life. What you actually see the person do is much more important than what he or she says.
That brings us back to our theme for this month. Your attitude matters. People notice. How you handle stressful situations; how you speak to people; how generous you are, or how generous you are not; how kind, compassionate, and patient you are with others. All of it is noticed and all of it has an impact on them.
The fact is that there are people who look up to you and who therefore learn from you. Even if it’s not intentional on your part, there are people who see you as an example. So, what attitude are they observing in you? How do you conduct yourself – especially when your guard is down and you’re not really thinking about it?
Attitude is a funny thing. It can be intentionally and consciously controlled if we think about it and if we put effort into it but more importantly, attitude is fundamental and foundational. It often functions at the subconscious level and is a deeply ingrained part of our personality. That being the case, the molding and shaping of our attitude has to take place at a deep level.
Tomorrow we’re going to continue this discussion by considering thermometers and thermostats – what they are, what they do, and what it means to us with respect to our attitudes. Until then, I encourage you to give careful thought to what your attitude is and what example you are setting for others with your attitude. People are watching. They do notice.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 