Ephesians 4:23 - 'Tudes

". . . to be made new in the attitude of your minds. . . "

Attitudes.  Everybody has them, and not just one or two.  Attitudes tell everyone around us who we are.  That's right.  The attitude we project is a defining element of our personalities.  And it all begins in the mind.

What we take in through our eyes and ears is routed through the brain and then settles and takes root in the heart.  And what is rooted in the heart flowers in attitudes. 

Scripture has much to say about various attitudes; I was amazed when I began looking them up.  There are Nega-tudes and Posi-tudes.  There are worship-tudes and boasti-tudes.  There are joy-tudes and sorro-tudes.  There are humili-tudes and prid-tudes.   Theres the servi-tudes and the arrigat-tudes.  There's the bitter-tude and the forgiv-tude.   There is just about a tude for everything. 

We naturally back off from people who have negative attitudes.  People who complain about their jobs, their lives, about everything that touches them.  We all know people like that.   Then there are people who continually use filthy language.  We stay away from them, too, because of their attitude.  We walk a wide circle around people who are always "down in the mouth", never smiling, never saying anything good, never joyful.  These are all attitudes that are rooted in the heart and are projected on the movie screen of our face.   For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks, and the face shows.  You cannot hide your attitudes.  They are visible for the whole world to see.

We need to be made new in the attitude of our minds, we need to have the mind of Christ Jesus.  If we are in Christ, and Christ is in us, the joy of the Lord should automatically radiate from us.  Whether in hard times or good, the joy of the Lord is our strength and it should show.   And that joy is the peace that passes all understanding.  And people see it, and marvel. 

What do people see when they look at you or hear you speak?  What does your countenance project?  Are people drawn to you or do they stay away?  Do you need to have a talk with Jesus about your tudes?  Is the flower garden of your heart sprouting roses or weeds?  It's springtime, time to do some gardening, time to clean out the weeds so the beauty can flourish.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you."  Phil 4:8-9

Lord Jesus,  I give you permission to weed my garden.  Remove all that which is undesirable and contrary to your nature, and plant the seeds of the Fruit of the Spirit.  Tend the garden of my heart, Lord, so that it will grow and bloom in your likeness.  Amen.