Attitude is a word we kick around a lot, isn't it? Should a Christian have a mostly positive attitude in life?

Chuck Swindoll has said, "I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.” That 90% is attitude. We can't control the 10% that happens to us, be we can control how we respond. It's very important to understand that attitude is a choice. You see, lots of us want to blame our attitudes on the circumstances or on other people. We say, "Yeah, well you wouldn't have a good attitude if you had my job.” Or, "I'd be positive if it weren't for my boss, or my husband, or my wife, or my children" - fill in the blank! Or "How do you expect me to be positive when I just lost my job?"

But think about it: Nobody can make you have a bad attitude—no matter how bad the situation is—if you don't want to. And nobody can force you to have a good attitude—no matter how good the situation is—if you don't want to. Your attitude is your choice.

In an age when we've taken the art of shifting blame to its highest levels, that may not sound good to your ears. It's a lot easier to blame it on others and let yourself off the hook, but if you don't face up to your responsibility for your own attitude, it will always control you and you'll be in negative territory much of the time.

Bill Marriott of the Marriott Corporation is quoted as saying "We don't hire people and ask them to be nice, we hire nice people.” What he recognizes is that training won't turn employees into good performers if their attitudes are rotten. And that is so true.

When I taught customer service skills in the business world, I often felt a tinge of guilt as I urged people to stay positive when most of them didn't have God's power in them to help them do it. But for us Christians, we do have the incredible power of the Spirit of Christ, living within us, and that means we can do what otherwise would be difficult or impossible without him.

Nonetheless, there are many Christians who are just as negative as everybody else around them and that shouldn't be. One of our unique witnesses to the world should be that in spite of the circumstances, we can be joyful and positive. We have something to be positive about. How can we claim that Jesus makes a difference now and for eternity if we're always in negative mode?

Attitude is a word we kick around a lot, isn’t it? Should a Christian have a mostly positive attitude in life? Chuck Swindoll has said, “I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we...

PMA—Positive Mental Attitude—it's a term we hear a good bit. Well, should a Christian have a positive mental attitude? And if so, how do we do that in a very negative world?

When I talk about staying positive in a negative world, I'm not talking about denial or sticking your head in the sand. And the Bible is clear in pointing out the negatives of sin, of disobedience, selfishness, etc. Obviously there are times we must focus on the negatives.

But as I read scripture, I am convinced that a Christian who is really desirous of pleasing God and obeying him in everyday life will be developing a positive attitude. It should be a natural outcome of walking with God and getting to know him better and better.

There’s no question that a strong biblical principle is to be a positive thinking and living person. If we don't have something to be positive about in this negative world, who does? After all, as believers we know the end of this story. We know that God is triumphant and that we are going to reign with him in Heaven. We know that no matter how terrible things look all around us, we have a hope and a promise that is steadfast, so of all people, we believers ought to stay positive in this negative world.

For example, if we think the way Philippians 4:8 tells us to, our thinking will be about things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable. We'll find very little room there for negative thinking. And if we strive to do everything without complaining or arguing, as Paul tells us in the second chapter of Philippians, then our words are going to become more and more positive. We must conclude that a Christian who strives to glorify Jesus in their everyday life is one who works hard to maintain a positive attitude, right in the midst of this negative world.

PMA—Positive Mental Attitude—it’s a term we hear a good bit. Well, should a Christian have a positive mental attitude? And if so, how do we do that in a very negative world? When I talk about staying positive in a...

I remember after my freshman year in college I was traveling to Maryland from my home in Georgia to work as a camp counselor for the summer. I had a 24-hour bus ride, as I remember, and during that long ride I made a decision to change my personality. I was going to a place where no one knew me, so I had the perfect opportunity to be whoever I wanted to be, or so I thought.

I decided that instead of being the out-going, assertive, take-charge type that I had been all my life, I would become the quiet, reserved, undemonstrative type of person. It seemed to me that this kind of personality was a much better one than the one I had. I'm sure part of my decision was based on my feelings that the boys liked the quiet type more than the out-going type, but I also remember a girl in my dorm at school who was quiet, and it seemed everybody liked her. So, I figured if I were more like her, I'd be nicer, more likable and more successful. And I really thought that God wanted every woman to be like her.

I sat on that bus all those hours and determined that there was no reason I couldn't be just like the girl in my dorm. All I had to do was set my mind to it, and I could change my whole personality. Here was my perfect chance, and I was committed to doing just that.

I can still remember those first few days at the camp, as I concentrated so hard on being someone else. I had to think about it all the time, so that I would remember to be different. Mostly I just forced myself to be quiet, but instead of impressing people with how nice I was, they thought I was unfriendly. I really tried hard to be just like my friend at school, but let me tell you, I failed miserably. I could only keep it up a few short days, and the effect was not a good change in my personality, but rather it made me look and feel phony, which of course, was true.

I suppose we've all been through similar experiences, when we've tried to be like someone else, instead of being ourselves. I would imagine that some of you are unhappy with who you are right now and find yourself wanting to be different. Maybe, like me, you've tried to change your personality and found it doesn't seem to work.

Did you ever stop and think about what it really means when you try to be like someone else? It means you think God made a mistake in the way he made you. It means you would have created yourself differently if you'd had a choice. It demonstrates a lack of trust in God's wisdom; it says you think God was either wrong or cruel to make you the way you are.

Now, that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to improve and get better and learn from others, but I'm talking about when we desire to be totally different than we are. When that's our attitude, it's really like a slap in God's face because we're convinced he didn't give us a fair shake.

I want to encourage you to remember that you are unique; there's no one else like you in the whole world. God is so infinitely creative, that he's able to give each of us unique traits and personalities, and he has designed you to be yourself. He has a purpose for you that no one else could exactly fulfill. He wants your personality, your type, to do a certain job in the Kingdom of God.

You are God’s canvas, and scripture tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, that God knit us together in our mother's womb, that he is intimately acquainted with us down to counting the hairs on our heads, and we are each created in his image. Now, just put all those facts in your head, and consider what that means.

First of all, you're not a mistake. You've all heard little jokes like "When God was giving out brains, he forgot you.” Or "When God was giving out looks you thought he said books and you said, 'I don't want any.'“ Well, maybe those jokes aren't as harmless as they seem, because they teach a basic untruth.

I remember after my freshman year in college I was traveling to Maryland from my home in Georgia to work as a camp counselor for the summer. I had a 24-hour bus ride, as I remember, and during that long...

What made Jesus the greatest leader ever? He was able to communicate a vision of what people could become. "Follow me," he said to some poor fishermen, "and I will make you fishers of men.” He told his disciples they would do even greater things than he had done. He beautifully communicated the vision and importance of what he was asking people to do.

Another reason Jesus was such a terrific people person is that He made the benefits and rewards very clear. "I came to give you abundant life," he promised. "Great will be your reward in heaven," he told them. "I'm going to prepare a place for you," he said. He understood the importance of work-related benefits and rewards.

Jesus was wonderful with people because he was willing to forgive them and give them second and third chances. He didn't give up on someone just because they had failed. Think of Peter; he denied Jesus three times, but Jesus restored him to fellowship and Peter became the rock of the early church.

And Jesus was able to relate so beautifully with people because he had a servant attitude. He came to serve, not to be served, he said, and he demonstrated it over and over again. Just imagine—the God-man coming to earth to serve mankind. Incredible but true. He was a servant.

But mostly, Jesus was successful as a leader because he truly loved and cared for each individual and put their interest above his own. He loved so much that he died. No wonder he changed the course of all history. Was there ever anyone like him? No never! But the incredible news is that as believers, we have his Spirit in us, and are being transformed into his image.

Ask yourself, how are your people skills? Do you communicate a vision to people? Are you willing to reward those who earn it? Do you give people a second chance? Are you a servant-leader? And do you truly care for others? Those are some of the attributes that made Jesus so special.

How often have you said of someone something like, "They're really smart but they just have no people skills.” As believers, that should not be true of us because we should have the same heart for people that Jesus did. Do you need better people skills? I know that I do. Let's make it a matter of daily prayer and ask God to make us more like Jesus in relating to the people in our lives.

If you would like to read the entire week’s message, click here to view/download the PDF.

What made Jesus the greatest leader ever? He was able to communicate a vision of what people could become. “Follow me,” he said to some poor fishermen, “and I will make you fishers of men.” He told his disciples they...

You’ve heard it said that it is lonely at the top. Well, there is some truth in that, because those at the top—those in authority—have certain responsibilities and obligations to those under them and we really can’t afford too many...

You’ve heard it said that it is lonely at the top. Well, there is some truth in that, because those at the top—those in authority—have certain responsibilities and obligations to those under them and we really can’t afford too many mistakes. Here’s the next mistake to avoid. 

Not Recognizing Employee Achievements

In these days of constant change, downsizing, and increased worker uncertainty, finding ways to recognize your employees for the good that they do is more important than ever. The old One Minute Manger mantra—catch people doing something right and tell them—is still one of the smartest habits you can cultivate as a manager. Sometimes a word of commendation from a manager means more to an employee than a raise.

I think most of us managers want and intend to recognize good employees, but we just often let it fall between the cracks. I know that’s too true for me at times. It’s not that hard to do and it reaps wonderful benefits. Something like a written note, thanking an employee for a job well done, can be very meaningful. Maybe a small reward, like a gift card for coffee or lunch, would be truly appreciated. Thanking people in group settings—this is very meaningful to employees. Too often I take it for granted that the people who work for me know how I feel about them, how much I appreciate them. And that may be true, but they still need to hear it from me often.

Let’s review the eight mistakes you want to avoid as you manage people:

Not giving adequate feedback

Not making time for your employees

Being too “hands off:

Being too friendly/buddy-buddy

Failing to define the goals

Hiring too quickly

Not walking the talk

Not recognizing employee successes and achievements

No doubt, like me, you’ve already made some of those mistakes, but it’s never too late to change and improve. I hope you’ve found these helpful.