CONFRONTING ATTITUDE

Part 3

By David Woodbury

We have all observed that children love to imitate what they see, especially in their parents, often doing what they see and repeating what they hear. Likewise, we are also are charged to imitate and model the behaviour we see in Jesus and be a clear reflection of him. Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1 - NKJV). A right attitude may well be at times, a learned behaviour, however, it still needs a solid foundation if it is to be a permanent characteristic.

Paul tells us in Philippians 2 that our attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus,” and to enable us to comprehend what he is speaking about, he summarises it. He lists such attitudes as selflessness, humility and service. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others (Philippians 2:3-4). This attitude, which a Christian should reflect, is one that focuses on the needs and interests of others rather than self. The reality is that without question, it does not come naturally to us.

Restoring a right attitude - A clean heart

Of all biblical writing, King David’s penitential psalm tackles the necessary steps in changing our attitude.

Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
    blot out my transgressions.
² Wash away all my iniquity
    and cleanse me from my sin.

³ For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is always before me.
⁴ Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
    and justified when you judge.
⁵ Surely I was sinful at birth,
    sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
⁶ Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
    you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

⁷ Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
⁸ Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
⁹ Hide your face from my sins
    and blot out all my iniquity.

¹⁰ Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    so that sinners will turn back to you.
¹⁴ Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
    you who are God my Savior,
    and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
¹⁵ Open my lips, Lord,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
¹⁶ You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
    you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
¹⁷ My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart
    you, God, will not despise.

¹⁸ May it please you to prosper Zion,
    to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
¹⁹ Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
    in burnt offerings offered whole;
    then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Psalm 51 is all about restoring a right attitude:

• To sin - ³ For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
• To God – ⁴ Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight;
• Within ourselves – ¹⁰ Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
• To others - ¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. ¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.

Inherent in this Psalm is humanity’s ongoing struggle with its very own nature; the awareness that much within us is not Christlike and that many of our attitudes need continual challenging and refinement. There is a sense in which this Psalm reflects a New Testament perspective in its desire to source its only remedy direct from a relationship with God.

If we look at verse 10 we get the impression that the writer is not talking so much about that inner part of us, the soul/spirit, as he is about attitude. Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit, (correct attitude), within me. It is within this sense that we often speak about someone having a bitter spirit, referring to the attitude they hold.

Out of a cleansed heart flows a renewed attitude. When we allow God to cleanse our heart we begin to see things differently, our mindset changes and attitudes infected by a corrupted heart begin to change. While ever the heart, the seat of the consciousness and will, is flawed, it must of its very nature result in a flawed mindset and wrong attitudes.

Here is good news for bad people! The Jews pursued the attainment of correct attitudes by trying to keep the law. Their trust was not so much on God but rather on their ability to perfectly obey the law by their own efforts. In Psalm 51 David recognises that trying to keep the law, is sheer folly: For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. He realises that what is needed was a simple trust in God’s mercy and a willingness to allow God to cleanse and renew his heart (v10). From this, he knows, will flow new attitudes.

Renewal

What is obvious is that there is a need for a radical change of heart which will reveal itself in a new attitude. When we move to the New Testament Paul picks up on similar thought: 20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:20-24 - NIV) What we are seeking first and foremost is a new mindset and such a mindset flows from a renewed heart. Once a new mindset is established the inevitable outcome must be a new attitude.

The reality is that it is highly unlikely we can achieve this new heart and mindset by some method of personal adjustment. Perhaps a few strong-minded individuals may achieve it but the majority of the human race will need a great deal of help to institute and deal with such a dramatic change. Here is the genius of the gospel message: we don’t have to do it on our own. We have access to a higher and greater power that will help us. And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2 - NLT)

Paul knows that unless the heart is renewed there is little chance of a change in attitude; that of the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.