ATTITUDE

I have had a bit of problem when I walk into class and ask my students to tell me what they feel about so many things that take place around them. It is even worse when I ask them to tell me about their attitude or reaction to the various characters they find in the texts I teach, or the poetry that I take to class. They will talk about positive feeling, negative feeling and sometimes I wonder what exactly these are if they cannot be expressed in specific ways. I even wonder more that my male students just cannot feel. There is this tradition in our world that believes that men do not cry, they do not show their emotions and do not show how they feel in public. If you asked me what I think about that, I would honestly tell you it is utter junk.

Away from my students. I was in Church yesterday and the message was about our attitudes and developing a winning attitude. It was amazing that I knew the things that were being talked about, yet I actually did not know them. Psychology taught me a lot about personality, but did not teach me that certain things ought to be developed in the human being, not by the psychologist but the person that wants to be better. I started thinking, God cannot be wrong when it comes to the way we feel about life, things that go ob in our lives around us and in us.

I have learnt one great thing: My attitude will always affect the way I perceive the things in and around me. Think of the twelve spies that Moses sent out to explore the land of Canaan. These explorers saw the beauty of the land, brought the best fruit from it and yet despite all this beauty, ten were convinced beyond reasonable doubt that they were going to be conquered if they ever stepped foot in the land God had purportedly given them. To them, the giants were far bigger than they were. Two guys came with a good report and were never heeded to. They believed in the power of God to save them from these giants. They believed God had actually delivered the land into their hands. For their good report, they were almost stoned. Two men could not stand against ten men. The people listened to their evil report, and God said, "Fine, have it your way. For believing the wrong report, you spend forty years in the desert. When they realised their folly, they tried to go to Canaan and God gave them the best defeat. A little lesson, you cannot compete with God's promise. When you feel to small and exalt what He's brought down, He lets you have life and faith your way. It is as simple as that.

Another story. A man has leprosy. He is a renowned General of Assyria. He has fought as many battles against his king's enemies and has always come out successful. Soon, his fame spreads all over the land. One things, however, blows him up. He becomes leprous. This means his land, king and gods cannot save him the shame of being a leper. His house girl (read maid servant) tells his wife that there is a prophet that can cure him. He is sent to the king of Israel who feels the terror of his enemy king coming for him. The prophet sends for the man and tells him to dip himself in the Jordan seven times. What does the general do? He says it cannot be when his land has better rivers. He actually despises the very point of his healing. He is too proud to let even a bit of his garment into Israelite water. His servants have to convince him it is the right thing to do. He walks back and does what the prophet told him to do and comes out clean with a skin as beautiful as that of a baby. His change of attitude makes him come to the world of reality.

There is also this young shepherd boy who is sent by the father to check on how his brothers are doing in war. There, his brother scolds him for being in a dangerous area when he should be looking after sheep. Israel is terrified because there is a giant whom they should beat. The giant has dared them to get someone to beat him so that they can defeat the Philistines. Well, the little boy looks at the giant and is amazed at how big he is. As the Israelite king looks at himself as too big to beat, the little boy thinks this is catch too big to miss. There is a different reaction to the giant. He picks a sling with stones and with just that defeats the giant. In the long run he is praised for killing his tens of thousands, while his king is praised for killing his thousands. That is phenomenal for a person who has done research in praise poetry.

From all the above stories, we see people that were determined not to be ruled by circumstances. God has let us go through lots of them things to understand that life cannot just be a flower-strewn path way. Once we fail to realize what we are going through as mere tests, we are going to get angry at the voice of God like Naaman did. We are going to fail to see His promises like the ten spies did. Once we move with the right attitude, we move to a world where only God would want us to be. David was able to defeat Goliath because He believed the Lord was his shepherd. If he had killed animals that attacked his father's flock, there was certainly no way a small human being would beat him at his game. He simply was going through training and God let him get through because he believed in His promise.

The next time you feel it is getting hot in here, look back, see the good things God has done in your life. Think of the people that He's placed in your life. Go with the attitude of a winner, a person that will get through the toughest hurdles and like David say "Yea, even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil. Thy rod and staff they comfort me" God is our banner of victory. Only those that are willing to be proud of who He is are the ones going to see the awesome things He has in store for us.

If you think that is a joke, try Him. You won't be lost, you just will be overwhelmed. The next time your attitude goes sour, think of the reaction others will have towards you. Love, you will be loved back. Hate, you'll receive the very measure of your feeling.

If you want to be safe and loved and happy, give that out to people. That is the reason of our being. Be happy. You never know how many people you lift when you are in that state.

God richly bless you.