THE EDGE OF YOUR SEAT

Tinted glasses change the way we see things. Attitude changes the way we hear. And there's something very simple that can change attitude - which can make all the difference in a business, a club, a church, a family, and especially a marriage. But it's so unwell known, it might as well be a secret. Until today.

Phil. 2:5 You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had

When your attitude changes, your perspective changes. With the right attitude a hopeless situation can look hopeful. With the right attitutde a marriage on the skids can become a marriage to be envied. With the right attitutde a church that is struggling can become a church that is triumphing. 

But how do you change someone's attitude? Answer: by changing yours. And changing your attitude is quite simple.

First Peter 4:1 ¶ So, since Christ suffered in the flesh, you also arm yourselves with the same attitude, because the one who has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin,

Changing our attitude begins with our behaviour. If you want a positive attitude you must first behave like a positive person. If you want a hopeful attitude you must behave like a hopeful person. If you want the attitude of an on-fire, Holy Ghost filled, spiritually passionate, loving, thoughtful, fully devoted follower of Christ, then you must begin by behaving like one. 

I just described the type of attitude that I want. As you all know, this means that I've got some behaviour modification required. But I've got a huge advantage - I want this attitude. I don't want to be an insipid, half-hearted, luke-warm, distant follwer of Christ. As the pastor of our church I am increasingly feeling like the most blessed man on the planet. As I see you each Sunday morning in worship, I am encouraged that you also want to be a fully-devoted follower of Christ. As I join in prayer with you at our Sunday night prayer celebration I am stirred and greatly encouraged to hear the passion for God, for the lost, for our church, for our community. As I hear the testimonies of young and old each Sunday night about how God has been so good to them, I find it incredibly easy to be a happy, positive, hopeful pastor. It's my hope that when people come into our church looking for God, answers, hope, and love, that they will find a church that has an attractive attitude shaped by our worship of and devotion to Christ. 

This reminds me of something I heard from two preachers. The first preacher said that he went to a conference where the speaker was utterly terrible. During the first break in conference proceedings he grumpily went to the refreshments complaining under his breath. It was then that he said the Holy Spirit rebuked him about his attitude. He determined to go back into the next session with a renewed attitude. He took his pen and notepad and was ready to take notes of the profound points that the speaker was about to utter. He says that the exercise was made all the more easier because the speaker was vastly different from their first session! In the first session the conference speaker said nothing profound, nothing moving, nothing informative. But in the second session, suddenly the speaker was dopping the most profound insights, moving her audience from tears to laughter, and revealing truths that would change lives forever. The pastor found himself sitting on the edge of his seat eager to soak in all that the conference speaker was sharing. 

The second example occurred recently. A pastor was training younger pastors when he told them that how they sit during the worship service was extremely important. When the senior pastor of the church is speaking, he said, don't sit slumped in your seat - instead, sit on the edge of your seat and look attentively to your pastor. "You'll be amazed how much more interesting he will sound if you sit on the edge of your seat attentively than sitting slumped in the seat!"

So there you have the great untold secret to changing an attitude: sit on the edge of your seat attentively. Apparently it not only changes attitude but what you hear as well.

Psa. 34:8 ¶ Taste and see that the LORD is good.
Oh, the joys of those who trust in him!

Ps. Andrew