003: Attitudes

February 18, 2010
Philippians 2:1-18

Sometimes it is not easy for me to “have the same attitude” as Jesus. In fact, a lot of the time it is not easy for me to act and imitate Him.

I teach GED classes for the local community college and some of my students are a bit rough around the edges. One of my new students is particularly challenging me. He is one of those smooth-talking hot-shots that just irritates me. I’ve never liked guys who act like they have it all together – that goes for my students, I guess!

Today one of my other students came and complained to me about Smooth-talker’s behavior in the classroom (trust me, I wish I could go to the authority figure and complain too!), and stated she was offended by his crude behavior and comments.

In hearing what she had to say, I was feeling extremely frustrated. I am sick of dealing with this student’s flirty attitude toward me, but when flirtation turns to vulgarity when I’m not in the room, I find myself disgusted. And I find myself angry.

I was angry at my student while I was driving away from class today. Literally, I sat at a red light fuming and rehearsing in my head everything I would like to say to him.

And then, while I was waiting and waiting at an agonizingly slow light, it was like the light bulb switched in my brain. I felt offended and upset that I was being devalued, that a student was making crude comments about my body, that I was being treated like a collection of sex parts walking around in public. And, although Jesus wasn’t necessarily facing the same gender issues I was facing today, He has experienced life in my shoes.

He was mistreated, misjudged, abandoned, rejected, insulted, humiliated, abused, and used.

Just about the time I was getting my attitude in gear and realizing that my reason for justified anger were nothing in comparison to God’s own reason for justified anger over the treatment directed at Him, the second lightbulb went off and I realized that just as Jesus could relate to me and how I was feeling, I have been the one standing in my student’s shoes, mistreating Jesus.

When the tables were turned, my vision of the situation was a lot clearer.

I was humbled. I was sorrowful. Somehow my hate wasn’t so much hate for my student and how I was treated – how women all over the globe are treated – but rather it was hate for sin in general. And a deep, deep gratitude for how God loves me and how Jesus humbled himself to die for me while I was still sinning.

I serve and love a great God. I am thankful for how He uses situations in my life all the time to reveal Himself and His ways and His character to me. How has He been showing Himself to you lately?