New Year: A Fresh StartSample

Living with a New Attitude

One of the best ways to live a better life is to have a better attitude. When we are followers of Jesus Christ, we are new creatures. Therefore, we can have a renewed attitude concerning every aspect of our life. We are also instructed about the kind of attitude that we should have. It is the kind of attitude that will give us a new approach to life and result in a lasting freshness in our lives.

In Philippians chapter 2, Paul writes we should not have an attitude common to fallen humanity, but rather, to have the same attitude that Jesus had. We should approach life as Jesus did. Our natural way is to make our decisions and act out of selfishness and conceit, looking out for our interests and considering ourselves as more important than others. In other words, we have a prideful, selfish attitude that almost always puts our own needs and desires first. This type of attitude is sure to lessen the quality of our lives because it will harm our relationships and leave us discontent and always wanting something more. We are told to have the same attitude as Jesus. However, this attitude is entirely different from our normal attitude.

Jesus had every reason to be proud, be full of Himself, and revel in the fact that He is God. Jesus, however, did not try to hold on to His "status" as God. Instead, He emptied Himself of His glory. He took on human flesh and came to earth as a baby. He had an attitude of humility, demonstrated from the very moment of His birth in an animal stable. His first bed was a feeding trough for animals. He had a humble arrival and grew up in a simple family and a not-so-special town.

Throughout His earthly life, He demonstrated the heart of a servant, coming, "not to be served, but to serve." He was totally obedient to the Father, even to the point of sacrificing His life for the sake of humanity. He was selfless, not selfish; obedient, not self-willed; not looking to gain all, but willing to give all.

The same Jesus who lived the example of the right attitude every day now lives in the hearts of those who have given their lives to Him. The Holy Spirit can empower us to live this out.

It's a new year, and now is the time to live out a new attitude of selfless, sacrificial love, and to be transformed every day by it.