The Imitation Game

- Pastor Brad Liebe

“May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.” – Romans 15:5 (NLT)

Have you ever met someone who lights up your day? Someone whose energy makes you smile. Their attitude is infectious and changes your day. When we read through scripture, no one embodies the attitude we should have more than Christ Jesus.

What happens in your heart and your mind will pour out of your lives. Your attitude declares to the world what to expect from you. If you’re having a bad day and your attitude is one of negativity, the world should expect to reap a harvest of the negativity you sow into the world. Jesus said that what a man sows, he will reap. What kinds of attitudes are we planting into the world?

Sometimes, we think maintaining a good attitude is about pretending everything is fine and only showing the world a cheerful face. This isn’t true! The Bible tells us that we should not mourn like those without hope. Even in moments of distress, we are in control of our attitude. Our attitude affects our emotions and feelings because our attitude indicates our focus.

If we desire to impact this world, we must start within. There are many things in life we can’t control, but one thing we can control is our attitude. We can’t fix what happens to us, but we can affix our minds to Jesus Christ and continuously compare our attitudes with His. Our attitude affects our day and, thus, the people around us.

In Psalm 3, David laments his troubles but then declares in verse 3, “You, O Lord, are a shield around me.” He then tells the people not to let their anger control them (verse 4) and ends by declaring peace, saying, “For You alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.” David declared what He knew to be true because of his close relationship with God.

Jesus told us that we will endure many problems in this world but to take heart because He has overcome the world. “Take Heart” comes from the Greek word Tharseó, which means “to have courage and be of good cheer.” God wants our focus to be on Him. When we keep our eyes on Jesus, even in difficult times, we will imitate His attitude, and it will pour out into the world around us.

Make a Difference:

Check your attitude today. Where is your focus? Ask God to help you focus on Him so your attitude will imitate Christ Jesus.

As You Read:

This week, we will get into the book of Daniel. Remember Daniel and Shadrach Meshach and Abednego's example for each other and subsequent generations. What example can we set for other people?