A Godly Attitude

Our Daily Lenten Journey this year has been focusing on weekly themes. We have talked about serving others, we have talked about ‘going public’ with our faith, we have talked about taking up our cross, and this week we will focus on using our passions for Godly purposes. Yesterday I spoke about Godly Fear. Today we’ll discuss how having a Godly attitude is important in our salvation, and how much it really does make a difference, in our daily life.

Take a moment and read today’s reading from Proverbs (you’ll find it below) and you will notice that the way we interact affects our salvation. Have you ever tried to correct someone’s behavior? Presuming it was your responsibility in the first place, how you worked with that person to correct them made a difference, but how THEY accepted the correction made more difference. “Scoffer does not like to be reproved.”

It also says, “He who hates reproofs will die.” I can’t begin to tell you how often I hear people tell me they don’t need to be corrected, and that they’re fine just the way they are. Our society reinforces this failure to acknowledge our shortcomings when it encourages us to be our own ‘man’ and not to pay attention to how others think we should behave. But what if they’re correct? What if our behavior is leading us to death?

Lastly, take a moment and consider every attitude you have in life, whether it be work-related or personal. Have you noticed that certain attitudes are encouraged by society and others are shunned? Chances are, unless you live in an Orthodox monastic community, the society more often than not, endorses attitudes that lead us away from Christ. We have discussed many important aspects of our spiritual journey during the past 30 days (we only have ten more days of Great Lent), but the main focus is always an act of love.

We fast because we love. We serve because we love. We take up our cross because we love. All these actions, if done without love are useless. “Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fatted ox and hatred with it.” It all comes down to having a Godly attitude.

The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the minds of fools. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is his delight. The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but he loves him who pursues righteousness. There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way; he who hates reproof will die. Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD, how much more the hearts of men! A scoffer does not like to be reproved; he will not go to the wise. A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken. The mind of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly. All the days of the afflicted are evil, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast. Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble with it. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fatted ox and hatred with it. A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention. The way of a sluggard is overgrown with thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway. – Proverbs 15.7-19