Attitude of Honor

“Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:16-8).  
 Remember your parents or a teacher telling you to watch your attitude? Perhaps you never had to be reminded of that, but most children or teenagers hear that at least once in their lives. Watch your attitude. What does that mean in relation to being a child of God?  

Our relationship with God affects every other relationship around us. There’s a direct correlation. How we respond to others when they disagree with us or when we’ve been hurt by them is everything. Our attitude is really the evidence of what’s in us. If there’s bitterness and hatred in us, then bitterness and hatred come out of us.  

What well are you drinking from?  

The well of the world or the well of your Father?

What you fill your heart with is what controls your attitude.  

Today, it’s so common for people to disagree about what’s right and wrong. The lines of morality get blurred and instead of relying on the truth of God’s Word, people rely on their opinions. They make their preferences their principles. This creates division and disharmony among everyone, whether Christian or non-Christian, because we all live on the same earth, and we all want our voices to be heard.  

But Jesus tells us to live in harmony, to live with the attitude of honor, regardless of whether or not others reciprocate. But when someone completely dismisses you, runs over your beliefs, and creates disharmony in the relationship, what do you do? Do you try to give them a taste of their own medicine? That’s a trap. So instead, you show humility, but that doesn’t mean you have to apologize for what you believe in and cower away. People confuse humility with cowardice. Humility is the opposite of pride, and you can certainly be humble without being prideful and without being a coward. Jesus did it every day of His life.  

So, if we are to pursue harmony and find common ground with one another, working through the noise and the divisiveness all around us, the only way to do this is by being with Jesus, to do what He did.  

You’ve heard it said that without Jesus, there is no peace. The reason why there is no peace apart from Him is because people can’t be that good on their own. There is too much strife and too much confusion for people to achieve peace without the Father.  

This brings us back to the question: What well are you drinking from? To live the way Jesus did, to live in harmony with others, is only possible when we are drinking from the Father’s well. For what goes in your heart is what comes out of it.