I woke up this morning with a bad attitude. Not gonna lie. I had a pretty hectic week and I wanted to just hide away today and not deal with reality. I was at the kitchen sink doing the dishes and said to my husband "Sometimes I wish I could just take a personal day, when I could just read a book, drink some tea, watch a movie, or take a nap." He simply stated "So why don't you do that today? You need to take a day. You are in a grumpy mood and you need to take a day off."
Wait, what? Did he just tell me I'm grumpy? He's supposed to be all supportive and let me gripe for a while. EXCEPT THAT...one day I gave him permission to tell me when I am playing the martyr. I asked him to tell me to snap out of it when I am having a bad attitude. And that's what he did today. It was done in love and I pouted for a few minutes and then I realized that he was totally right.
So as I was eating the omelet that he so generously made for me for breakfast, I thought about how I could have a better attitude for the rest of my day. That's when Philippians 2:4-5 popped into my mind.
"Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus." (NASB)
Obviously somewhere in the back of my mind I knew the reference to having the attitude of Christ Jesus, or it wouldn't have popped into my head when I needed it. But I had to go to my concordance to find exactly where it was located, and the precise wording. So I figure, why not memorize it for SSMT verse 21?
As I was reading Philippians 2 to get a feel for the context of these verses, I began to realize something. Paul didn't tell the people to stop looking out for their own personal interests. He didn't ask them to play the martyr and only look after everyone else. He simply told them to ALSO look out for the interests of others. Care about others needs. Watch each others' backs, so to speak.
The NIV version of verse 5 says "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus." That word "relationships" is really what it is all about. It takes the focus off of just me. I am still concerned with taking care of my own needs, but I also look out for the needs of those around me. It removes the selfish ambition and creates an attitude of "we're all in this together." As Paul says in Phil. 2:2 "Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose." (Emphasis mine.)
For the next two weeks I will be working on my attitude as I memorize Philippians 2:4-5. I am so thankful for the Holy Spirit, who brought this verse to mind on a day when I really needed it. Oh - and it doesn't hurt that I have a husband who helps me change my bad-attitude into a better-attitude, with love and encouragement. Thanks honey!
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