Attitude.

I confess at times my attitude leaves a lot to be desired. A huge lot. I hate it when my attitude is anything less than perfect. I hate it when I get my "grump on" and forget to get my groove on. It seems I can go from hysterical laughter to so ticked off I'm about to do bodily harm. Welcome to the world of Middle-Age, I guess.

This morning I was on Facebook and posted Philippians 2:5-11. I contemplated the passage all day. I left my Bible open to that passage and stopped to read it frequently.

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus."

Oh sure. Easy for you to say. I started pondering what kind of attitude Jesus had. I know the passage goes on to talk about His attitude of service. But I wondered in general what His attitude was.

Did He get His divine grump on? Did He ever get tired of doing "all the work around here"? Did He ever think to Himself, "What I need is a vacation. Last week would be nice"?

I was really feeling very pathetic and incapable of following this directive to let my attitude be like that of Jesus. I know He was human. But I also know He is God and I know He never sinned. Never. So I think I'm safe in assuming He did not EVER have a bad attitude. He never in anger wondered if the disciples would ever get it. Ever learn all He was teaching them.

In thinking this through today, I was reminded of the time Jesus and His disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee and Jesus was asleep. A huge storm blew up and the disciples blew up.

Jesus had an attitude of taking time for Himself, for refreshing. I learned it is not wrong to need time alone, to desire time to recharge, to step back from parenting and teaching. Jesus needed these times too.

I also learned that when I blow up, my attitude is not that of Christ Jesus. The disciples woke Jesus, not out of fear for His life, but because they were fearful for their own. When I blow up, I can not look at a situation rationally. Normal minor irritations become huge. Rational thought flees in the face of a bad attitude.

So now I'm pondering how to keep my attitude like that of Jesus. It has to be possible. To constantly think, not of my service to others as a form of debt, as in they now owe me, but to think of it as a total giving of myself. Knowing I can be recharged when I take time for myself and Jesus.

Oh Father,
Let my attitude be like that of Jesus. Keep me ever humble and willing to serve others. Help me remember I can take time for refreshing. Please rid me of the bad attitude that so often takes over.