A Holy Attitude

“What Would Jesus Do?” was one of the phrases that came to mind recently when I was reflecting on the past. It was a catchphrase with a familiar acronym (WWJD) that became very popular in the late 1980s. I first heard people asking this question when I was just twelve years old. At the time, I didn't really give much thought to what it meant. Despite this, I have considered the question throughout my life. As I grew older, my relationship with God deepened, and I increasingly found myself questioning, "What Would Jesus Do?" then, I take a moment to pause and consider God's guidance through His Word. I try to respond to my circumstance or difficulty in a way that is more suitable to my understanding of God's direction. 

Philippians 2:5 (NLT) states,

You must have the same attitude as Christ Jesus.

This Scripture focuses on how Jesus Himself would behave in the world rather than just asking what He would do. How would He interact with other people? What would His thoughts be? I truly believe that many of us have a very clear idea of the mindset that our Savior maintained regardless of the difficulty of His circumstance. He knew what His future held but He showed immeasurable acts of kindness and love for everyone, even those who persecuted Him. Can you even begin to picture what would happen if Jesus began to yell and get angry with those who opposed Him? This thought is very difficult to conceive, because although Jesus was a human being, He never exhibited any type of sinful tendencies and always chose the path of righteousness.

Therefore, do I have the mindset that Jesus has? Yes, but there is no question that I have room for improvement. I pray that everyone who interacts with me will recognize Christ in me. My actions, my words, and the way I treat others should be pleasing to the Lord.

Prayer:
Oh, Lord Jesus, we ask you to transform our attitudes to be the same as Yours. Help us to surrender the areas of our beings that don’t reflect You and fill us with Your Holy Spirit. When we encounter life’s trials, help us to have Your mind and Your attitude, and be walking examples of what You would do and who You are, for Your name’s sake. In Your Holy name, Amen.

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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.