Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus (Phil. 2.5).

“You need an attitude adjustment!” Who needs the attitude adjustment? Is it the person spoken to or the person doing the speaking? Often, we overlook our own attitude because of other people’s attitudes. Do we fail to see that we are as bad off as the person we are criticizing!

I can’t see my attitude when I am criticizing someone else, can I?  By example, raging parents are teaching their children to become raging parents. Exceptions? Of course! But even the Bible uses the expression “Like mother, like daughter” (Ezek. 16.44).  Adam Clark writes,   “As is the cause, so is the effect. As is the breeding, so is the practice. A silken purse cannot be made out of a swine’s ear. What is bred in the bone seldom comes out of the flesh.”

If we plan to change other people’s attitudes, we must change our own first. Why judge others for their poor attitude when we ourselves have a poor attitude? (See Matt. 7.1-5)

The foremost, proper attitude is the attitude we have toward God. Do we really love Him with our whole being (Mt. 22.37)? Do we really trust Him (John 14.1)? Are we grateful for what He has done for us, and what He is doing for us and what He will do for us? Or, are we impatient with God and expect Him to do more for us than we deserve?

What is our attitude toward ourselves? Do we loathe what God loves (John 3.16)? There are pitiful souls that feel they have put themselves beyond God’s reach. If God uses Paul as an example for such people, we must see that God is willing to forgive us and use us for His work as well. (See 1 Tim. 1.15-16)

We need to love ourselves if we expect to properly love others. If loving myself is a requisite to loving my neighbor I want to learn how to love myself better. There’s a fine line between a healthy love for self, and self-love (Eph. 5.28-29 vs. 2 Tim. 3.2). With humility and honesty we can see the difference.

Paul said we are to have the attitude of Christ, or the mind of Christ (Phil. 2.5). This is an attitude of humility and sacrifice. He was willing to put others ahead of Himself, even to die for others.

If I look in the mirror, I should see the person looking back at me with the same attitude of Jesus Christ!

[-Adapted, BTW]