This week we will talk about the default attitude of believers. Let’s get into it!
For years I was convinced that this lady at I ran into regularly HATED me. She was consistently frowning and had her eyebrows pressed low on her forehead while speaking to me. This looked to me like a person who was angry at me or at least pointed her anger in my general direction. Finally, I decided that I would go and talk to her about it. It was time I found out what I did wrong and apologized, or at least attempted to move things forward. As I prepared for what could be an unpleasant confrontation, I asked a mutual friend if she had ever mentioned what I had done to offend her. My buddy laughed at me. He explained: “She’s not angry at you, that’s just her resting face!” I guess I had never considered that is just how she looked, weather she was happy or mad. Her default face looked angry.
Many Believers do this with their attitudes towards service and towards others; they have a default attitude of selfishness. Without consideration or effort, they declare “No thanks, I’m not doing that.” I’ve heard of Christians that say “I’ll never do that” within minutes of teachings on submission to Christ. I personally had several different self-proclaiming Christians say, “I can’t see your problem from my front porch.” The meaning was clear: whatever you are dealing with won’t affect me. Their own comfort and leisure was worshiped more than Jesus. The default attitude was not “yes” to whatever Jesus would ask. They didn’t even slow down to see if it was something Jesus was asking them!
I don’t think I’m going too far out on a limb when I say this default attitude is anti-Christian. When we considering that Jesus generously gave all of His blood, sacrificed His whole life, and paid for all of our sin, then a default attitude of selfishness cannot be a reflection of Him.
To love and Follow Jesus is to set our default to acting like Him. Jesus was generous and about the Fathers business. A resting “not gonna happen” attitude does not honor Christ so we need to repent. By the way, an answer of “Let me pray about that,” as an alternative to actually saying no, is just as bad.
If we are really Jesus Followers, our default answer to Him is “Yes sir”. Not that we have to say yes to everything or do whatever anybody asks of us. I just think believers should actually consider a request before saying no. You know, see if it is something Jesus wants you to do, and not have no as our default answer. I love the way David Platt puts it: “My life is a blank check before God…No strings attached.”
Probably best to let Jesus close out this blog with his own words:
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must take up their cross and deny themselves and follow me.”
-Your favorite church planter
-Mike Watt