In a book I’m reading called “Today Matters” by John Maxwell, given to me by Jerry Chee, talks about the importance of focusing on today and how today matters just as much as tomorrow and even yesterday. One of the chapters talks about attitude and how your attitude shapes your perspective and more importantly how it shapes your day.
We all know that the gap between having a good attitude and bad attitude is more than a centimeter long and the shift from one to the other is harder than it looks, and it’s not as easy as just turning on a light switch from one attitude to another. But the book offers some tips, tricks and secrets that can aid you on your journey.
One of the secrets to maintaining a good attitude is valuing people. Placing a high value on people helps us look at them in a positive light. This is true in almost all relationships. I took a Sociology course that offered a study suggesting that when people held their partner in high regard and placed a lot of value on them, they were more likely to stay together than those who didn’t.
Here’s a mini test: When someone offends you or “wrongs” you in some kind of way, Do you automatically think that it was on purpose or an accident?
When you think of someone in high regard and value them, you are more likely to think that any wrong or offense that was done by that person was accidental as opposed to being purposeful or with malice intent.
I remember Ryan used to always say, “Always give people the benefit of the doubt.” To be honest, this isn’t always my first reaction or response in every relationship/encounter that I have. Sometimes my past experiences and ideas of people or things will try to steer me in one way but Ryan’s words are a good reminder to check my attitude and see things through God’s eyes.
God’s grace is a prime example of giving people the benefit of the doubt. No matter how far we fall short of the glory of God, we are viewed in a positive light through the loving eyes of a Father who loves us and cares for us because Jesus has redeemed us and justified us through faith.
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Romans 3:23-24 (NIV)
In the book John says this “You cannot have a bad attitude and encourage others at the same time.” We cannot treat people poorly and have a positive attitude, we cannot encourage people and have a negative attitude. Our attitude and how we treat others go hand in hand.
As we seek to Genuinely Love God and Genuinely Care for Others, let us continue to grow and cultivate good attitudes, placing high value on both God and His people so that we may live out being a Kingdom Family.
Father, I thank you for your love that is contagious and that causes us to move and share it with others. I thank you for the opportunities to care for others like you have cared for us. I pray that we would be empowered by the Holy Spirit to love you God, and Care for those who you have placed in our lives. Let our attitudes represent who you are, Lord. Help us to be more like Jesus in our thoughts, actions and attitudes.