Attitude

Attitude, at it's root, is agenda.  When a child has an "attitude" we are all reminded that the child's agenda is not the agenda of the person handling the discipline and not the agenda that should be affirmed.  Too often we try to handle attitudes with gentle understanding, compromise and "Let's just all try to get along."  I think Jesus would look at this and ask, "What fool allows a child to set the agenda for the family?  In MY Word didn't I express discipline as an act of love (Hebrews 12)?  Did MY Word say, 'We should all have the attitude of Randy?'"

I hope you (and all you dads and moms) get the point of what I am trying to say here.  Philippians 2:4-5 reminds us of our bent toward looking out for our own interests and the Godly attribute of looking out for the interests of others.  In fact, verse 3 says we do Church-work "in humility, regarding others as better than ourselves." Paul, led by God's Spirit, says the standard is not for everyone to have the mind of Randy, Bob, Jenny, Lenny or Valarie.  It is for all of us who are the Church (ESPECIALLY when we meet and fellowship) to have the mind of Christ.  It is impossible to have the mind of Christ and have a self-centered attitude ... the two things are totally incompatible.

In the family it is NOT about the child's agenda ... it is about what is Godly and good for the family.  So dads and moms ... quit letting children set the agenda for your life ... they need your wisdom and boundaries!

In the Church it is not about what is good for me ... it is about what is good for God's purpose.  Paul knew we do this by seeking and following the attitude of Jesus and having an attitude of humility toward others.  WOW, does Jesus know how to do life abundantly!