Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. 5. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. (Philippians 2:3)
“You must have the same attitude as Jesus.” Paul is talking about one’s perspective that forms their convictions, a point of view, a “mindset.” Paul says an attitude like Jesus, is a “must.”
Sounds like a good idea to me; sign me up! But what does having an attitude like Jesus look like?
The verse says to be humble and take interest in others; sure, that’s simple enough, my dog Squirt does that between naps.
There’s got to be more to this attitude or mindset that Paul is writing about, that we need to figure out. As you continue to read Paul’s letter to the Christians of Philippi, you’ll find that he talks a lot about working hard, not complaining, living innocently, praising God, and being a light.
Ok, now I’m getting it; that sounds a lot like the Jesus I’ve read so much about. How’s this for an “attitude like Jesus” game plan? We will be humble, think about others, work harder, complain less, view life with the eyes of a child, and thank God every step of the way while all along being a light for His Kingdom for all to plainly see.
This is a good plan—so simple. Our love and faith in the Lord should be all the conviction and strength we need to focus on Jesus and follow the plan. Well, this plan may be simple to conceive, but it’s not so simple to execute.
What stands in the way as we execute this plan? Who or what could possibly keep us from winning this attitude game? The opponent could-That’s who.
Every good game plan will have to face an opponent, whether it’s a team in helmets and pads or the world and its legions of demons at its command. Never be caught underestimating the opponent; that’s often a quick path to defeat. We must recognize the opponent for what he is and study his tactics so you know what to expect.
When up against a plan like ours, the world almost always runs the same play. It’s the single most effective play in Satan’s book, and he runs it over and over again. This play is so effective that it often totally neutralizes a good game plan before it even starts.
Satan’s strategy is to throw anything and everything at you to get you to focus on something other than your plan. It’s that simple: if you lose focus on what you’re trying to accomplish/if you get distracted/if something convinces you it’s not a worthy plan or it’s too difficult to accomplish/ if you question yourself and feel that you don’t have what it takes…If you do any of these things, then you just took your eyes off the ball; you let something or someone other than Jesus get a foothold on your mind—you’ve stopped focusing on Jesus. And if you don’t have your head on a heavenly swivel, you may not even realize a play was ever run.
So how do we keep our focus on Jesus and prepare for this first play of the game? Where should we start? Church on Sundays, a small group with our friends, the TBN video library… With all these resources available for our team and for executing our plan, it’s like having all the fans in the stands, on our side.
I believe Paul got it right; this is a “must,” and we need to make this critical in our lives. And recruiting the best team we can find is critical; however, it won’t guarantee a win.
This “must win” game never has an off season or day off; it’s always being played. And maybe never more, than when you’re alone. Winning this game will not just be having an attitude like Jesus when it’s convenient or on Sunday at 9am. It is an all-the-time thing: good times or bad, sickness or health, rich or poor, sunshine or rain.
And remember, having a highly recruited team with you on the field is important, but you also need to be able to play this game with only four men on the field: God, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and you. It comes as no surprise that God designed a playbook just for you, and He built into you the ability to run all the plays on your own.
Ok, you’ve built a team from your resources that you feel can help you run your game plan the best. Now think hard: what do all the resources or players have in common? The focus at church is on Jesus, and it teaches from the Bible. Small groups typically focus on Jesus and do workbooks on the Bible. TBN, most shows are about Jesus, and every show is based on the Bible.
Now even a black and white mind should start to flicker in Technicolor: To get the mindset of Jesus, we need to focus on Jesus, and to stay focused on Jesus, we need to focus on the Bible—The Word. The Bible is ground zero for developing an attitude like Christ. The Old Testament, New Testament, Gospels, and Epistles are all about Jesus. The Bible is about Jesus from the very beginning until its end.
Try thinking about it like it was a sport and you wanted to develop the skills for a game. What’s the most important thing to focus on first: the rules of the game, the strategy or game plan, or the skills needed: running, jumping, shooting, catching, throwing, tackling, kicking… What should you focus on, and where do you start? It’s basically the same in every sport you’ve ever played: You start with the ball. You focus on the ball, and then, like many have said, “You become the ball.”
Golf: Head down, eye on the ball. Basketball: Follow the ball. Football: Go to the ball. Tennis: See the ball hit your racket. Soccer: Go to where the ball will be. The ball, it’s all so fundamental; focus on the ball, and no matter what your skill level, you can be playing the game today.
Going with the fundamentals in everything in life—it makes everything so simple. What’s fundamental to Jesus’ attitude? His mindset—The Truth! And who established this truth?—God! Where do you find God’s truth?—The Bible! When you start with the Bible, you start with the very Truth of God’s Word. It doesn’t get more fundamental than that.
Do you want a mindset like Jesus? Then focus and fill your mind with God’s Word, and you will have no room for Satan’s lies. Do you want to acquire wisdom like Jesus has? Then apply God’s Word to your life. Do you want to be like Jesus in everything you do? Then grab a pad and pencil, open the Bible, and if you’re honest with yourself, you’ll discover your shortcomings quickly, and you’ll know right where to start.
Are you having a hard time communicating with God? You can’t seem to hear what He’s saying to you. He just doesn’t seem to communicate with you, so how could you possibly become like Jesus? Well, God may be silent in your life because your Bible is closed.
You say, you can’t be like Jesus…He didn’t have a 9 to 5 job or kids to haul to practice… He was able to spend all day teaching His followers and meditating on the Scriptures and the truth of God’s word. You don’t possess that kind of time; you have obligations and more important things to do.
A wise man once said, “The most foolish person in the world is the one who has the opportunity to read, absorb, digest, live in, and be immersed in worship-reading the Bible—but doesn’t do it because of preoccupation with other things of this world.”
Having the mindset of Jesus Christ will never be achieved without putting in the time and effort—without paying your dues. Are you willing—is it a priority to you?
If having the same attitude as Jesus Christ is a priority to you, and you don’t already have it, then let’s get to work. Start with the fundamentals, God’s truths, and go back over them again and again and again. Remember the enemy will be fighting you on this, so you can’t just do it once in practice and think you’ll win the game. You have to do it again and again and again. Keep your focus on the truth. Meditate on the Word—the Truth of the Word—the Words of the Bible. If you’re going to get in the game, play to win.
I want a mindset just like Jesus Christ. I want to wear the same mind as God and my Savior Jesus Christ. Furthermore; I intend to know and live The Truth, God’s Truth, until it fills my body like concrete fills a form, with certainty and a firmness that continues to cure and harden, growing more solid every day.
I would like to focus on the big picture of eternity in Heaven, not the in-my-face, here-and-now of the world.
Paul said, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” The “attitude” is our mission, the “must” is our priority, and “Jesus” is our focus. The Bible is the tool to get the job done. Get to work and set your mind right. Right, like Jesus Christ—the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 7 If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” (John 14:1-7)
Jesus said, “When everything is ready, I will come and get you.” One day we will be with Jesus in Heaven and be perfect in mind and body, just like He is. But today you’re not; I know this to be true because you’re reading these words. Today your work is laid out in front of you. God sacrificed His Son so you could become just like Him… in spirit, mind, body, and attitude—today! Not tomorrow, not next week, not Sunday at church—Today!
Attitude is everything in life, and having one like Jesus’ is a must! Just like in a sport where a ball is a must.
Excuses are for the weak; with the right attitude, you can play football with a basketball, basketball with a soccer ball, and pickleball with a whiffle ball. However, the best ball in the bag is the one given to you to play with today. Get your attitude right. Pick up the ball God has given you—grab the Bible and get in the game.
“I tell you the Truth”
Read the Bible.
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