It Is Time To Check Myself
Bad attitudes. Do I have one when ask to help serve my family, my church, my community? Do I grumble and complain because I think my God given talents and gifts are better used elsewhere? Do I get an attitude with those that I am working with because things are not my way?
Do you?
I have been studying the book of Nehemiah with my mom's ladies group at her church and this verse keeps coming back to me from Nehemiah 3 where Nehemiah talks about the beginnings of rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. He is talking about how each person did their job, fixing what was in fixing of them, how they all worked together, despite of job, job title, and class. All except the nobles of Tekoa.
"5 The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors."
Even in the days of the Old Testament, there was always someone who thought they were too good to do hard work. They had bad attitudes about what they were asked to do and who they were asked to work with or work under.
How many times is that us? I know that it is me. I admit it. I get mad at my husband when he doesn't do what I think that he should. I lose my cool with my kids when they are do not do what I ask. I also admit that it is not Christlike. I am human and our fleshly, human attitudes are always the opposite of Christ's. Philippians 2 tells us to imitate Christ's humility and His nature. How many Christians are actually doing this? I struggle with it daily.
"5.In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6.Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7. rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8. And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!"
Verse 14 tells us to;
Ouch. Do everything without grumbling and complaining. Everything. Not just the things that make me happy but everything. That is hard because there are many day to day things that I dislike doing and I do complain about doing them. That is hardly what Christ asks us to do. He asks us to work together in love. This is for every relationship that we have in our lives, our marriages, our parenting, our friendships and fellowship with those around us.
I think it is time to take inventory of my life and check my attitude towards serving and helping others, including my family. I can have a great attitude about helping outside of my own home but am mean to the very people who love me the most as I tend to their needs, begrudgingly.
Do you?
I have been studying the book of Nehemiah with my mom's ladies group at her church and this verse keeps coming back to me from Nehemiah 3 where Nehemiah talks about the beginnings of rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. He is talking about how each person did their job, fixing what was in fixing of them, how they all worked together, despite of job, job title, and class. All except the nobles of Tekoa.
"5 The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors."
Even in the days of the Old Testament, there was always someone who thought they were too good to do hard work. They had bad attitudes about what they were asked to do and who they were asked to work with or work under.
How many times is that us? I know that it is me. I admit it. I get mad at my husband when he doesn't do what I think that he should. I lose my cool with my kids when they are do not do what I ask. I also admit that it is not Christlike. I am human and our fleshly, human attitudes are always the opposite of Christ's. Philippians 2 tells us to imitate Christ's humility and His nature. How many Christians are actually doing this? I struggle with it daily.
"5.In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6.Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7. rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8. And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!"
Verse 14 tells us to;
"14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”[c] Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky"
I think it is time to take inventory of my life and check my attitude towards serving and helping others, including my family. I can have a great attitude about helping outside of my own home but am mean to the very people who love me the most as I tend to their needs, begrudgingly.
Jesus, teach me to be like You.
Amen
