“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus… ”

— Philippians 2:5

Attitude is probably the best indicator of outcome, whatever the situation. And, according to Philippians 2:5, we can choose our attitude!

Naaman was a military leader who had won many battles for King Aram (2 Kings 5). He was well respected in his home country. However, he had a problem that even he couldn’t fight; he was a leper. The news got to Naaman that there was a prophet in Israel that may be able to help him. So Naaman decided to visit Israel and packed gifts that were symbols of his wealth and prestige. He must have thought, ‘Surely, if there is someone who can help me in Israel, my wealth and importance will persuade them.’

Of course, we know that our importance and efforts have the opposite effect with God, who ‘opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble’ (1 Peter 5:5-6). It was Naaman’s prideful attitude that almost led him to miss out on the blessing God had for him. When the prophet Elisha asked Naaman to wash seven times in the Jordan River, he was greatly offended. Naaman thought that if anything, Elisha would require some great feat. At the very least, Naaman should be asked to wash in a significant river, such as those in his home country. Naaman’s prideful attitude was about to blow it for him. It wasn’t until he listened to his servant’s advice that Naaman humbled himself and washed in the Jordan. Naaman’s change of attitude led to a change in his circumstances. Naaman’s shift in beliefs and subsequent response to his situation allowed God to heal him.

The English word ‘attitude’ comes from an old French word that described how a figure was drawn in an artwork- what their posture was toward their surrounds.

Attitude is a framework of believes and emotions that determine how we approach any given situation. It’s not usually one belief, or one specific emotion, but rather a construct of beliefs and experiences.

As such, our attitude is an excellent indicator of our spiritual condition. For example, being offended or hurt is an indicator that there are beliefs we have about ourselves and emotional hurts we are carrying, which are triggered when we feel wronged.

It’s instructive to read how often the Word of God tells us to have a particular attitude (or ‘mind’) and links our attitude with outcomes. In Philippians 2: 5 & 9, Christ’s attitude of humility allowed God to exalt him; ‘for this reason, God highly exalted him’. In Philippians 3: 7 & 10, Paul’s attitude towards his past achievements is directly linked to ‘knowing the power of His resurrection’. Proverbs 3: 9-10 links an attitude of honour to God with having our needs met in abundance. The whole Sermon on The Mount explicitly deals with attitudes that bring blessings (Matt 5:1-12). Jesus believed a person’s attitude was a measure of their spiritual condition and impacted on the blessings they could receive.

With that in mind, it might do us good to examine some of our attitudes. What is our attitude toward our spouse, our loved ones, our church, our work? Ask ourselves: why do I feel this way? Why do I resent …? Why do I get hurt when …?

If our attitude determines God’s blessing on our lives and the lives of those around us, examining our attitudes would be a worthwhile exercise.