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WHEN MY ATTITUDE CHANGED, PEOPLE CHANGED. BY QUEENIE CHARLES
Have you ever regretted saying remarks in a heated argument, only to find out that you were absolutely wrong? I can't speak for others, but I don't like to go back and apologize because of something I said. I am coming to realize that it is important how one treats someone else, because a individual will reap what he sows ( Galatians 6:7). Like that famous Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you want them to do unto you." Since no one is perfect, there comes a time after we have had disagreements with someone that we need to be reconciled. We must strive to be reconciled, due to the fact the Lord will not accept our prayer or praise to Him. (Matthew 5:23).
What kind of place would we live in, if everyone really made a conscious effort to really treat people right.
We all have our made out list in our heads of how our peers, adults, and especially children, should treat us, that attribute called respect. For some of us, if we feel disrespected, it can become a fireworks situation. Who defines respect, how do we know that our expectations are accurate? If I synchronize my list of expectations with every individual, how will I ever know that my list is true? I have been guilty of having unrealistic expectations; I was only looking through my eyes, seeing through a glass darkly, only thinking about myself. As the pastor has said, "I was thinking about my rights�" In the midst of trying to protect my rights, I was creating war. I never took the time to alter my expectations, this list in my head, and value someone else's view.
We can imagine how Jesus dealt with imperfect beings having their personal opinions about what they thought was right. The Pharisees and the Sadducees were always looking for a way to accuse Him under the Law, which makes no sense; they were accusing the one who created the Law: Jesus, the expressed image of God. (I Timothy 3:16). He knew what was in men's hearts already (John 2:24). He always addressed His accusers with only truth; as in the story about the women being accused of adultery. Jesus stated, anyone without sin, cast the first stone. (John 8:7) Everyone had to drop his stone.
I am learning how to drop the stones that are in my heart as the pastor says, the stones of bitterness, stones of unforgiveness, stones of disappointments, and stones of personal offenses. I was taking my stones and casting it towards people; but due to the power of the Holy Ghost, just like the Word of says, I was led to truth ( John 15:26). And the truth will make you free ( John 8:32). I am grateful that I was led to people that taught me how to overcome; I was taught personally about the power of forgiveness and how to get rid of a stony heart (one can find the article, about the " Stony Ground Hearer" on www.jesusanwers.org).
You will find this victorious message preached and taught at Covenant. What I have been taught through them and their ministry has had a very large impact on my life; teaching me how to change my perception of people. It caused me to change my attitude and when my attitude changed, people changed.
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