QUOTE FOR TODAY...with A BIBLE PASSAGE
“The remarkable thing is that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day...I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me, and 90 percent how I react to it. And so it is with you. We are in charge of our attitudes.” (Charles Swindoll, quoted in Richard G. Capen, Jr., Finish Strong: Living Your Faith in the Secular World and Inspiring Others in the Process, p.121)

"Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, Who, though He was in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death--even death on a cross.

"Therefore God also highly exalted Him and gave Him the Name that is above every name..." (Philippians 2:5-9)

Many things happen to us in life. But each of us can choose how we react to the things that happen to us. Jesus chose to give Himself, no matter what. Because He did, He won eternity for all who trust Him with their lives (John 3:16).

Anybody who dares to follow Jesus is freed from worrying about his or her place in the world. Followers of Jesus are guaranteed a place with God now and forever. So, we're empowered to flush self-centeredness, to embrace God-centeredness, and to love our neighbor.

The love of Jesus Christ at the center of our lives enables us to live life with different attitudes. And these new attitudes can enable us to change our worlds, one person at a time.

Among the books I'm reading these days is John Powell's Happiness is an Inside Job. In one section, Powell remembers a column by humorist Art Buchwald titled, "My Friend, the Cabbie, and New York City."

Buchwald's friend was intent on changing the world, starting with New York. He decided to have a different attitude toward those around him and to give people as much praise and affirmation as possible.

After a particularly harrowing cab ride in which this man and Buchwald were passengers, Buchwald's friend told the driver, "You are one of the best drivers I have ever seen. If you had one more coat of paint on your car, you would have hit several of those other cars. But you missed them, and I want to congratulate you."

At first, the cabbie thought that Buchwald's friend was crazy. But when the friend said he meant what he said, the driver broke into a smile that may have lasted the whole day.

Christians have a real advantage in undertaking a program for changing the world like Buchwald's friend: Jesus has already changed our worlds.

He changes us from enemies to friends of God.

He changes us from listless people to people with purpose for living.

He changes us from sinners without hope to forgiven sinners with an eternity of hope.

Jesus is our strong foundation and from that foundation we can freely choose new attitudes of love, affirmation, and praise for the world around us.

Do I always live with this new attitude? No, the old sinful me is still alive. But I feel like a voting public following a November election in which they threw the old rascals out. I know that the old Mark is on his way out. Christ has given me a new me (Second Corinthians 5:17).

That's the way it is for all followers of Jesus. Prayerfully, we ask God to help us live with the attitudes and values of our new and better selves. Every time we do so, evil takes another hit and the lives of those around us are made a little better.

Consciously adopting this attitude, leaning on God to help us be our better selves, also changes us. Last night, my wife, daughter, and I saw Michael W. Smith perform. He sang his song, "Live the Life" which contains the line: "Every act of love will set you free."

I believe that. We need to surrender our lives to Christ and then live lives of surrender, starting with taking on the attitudes of loving servants.

That's God's plan for changing the world, really, and it's fun being part of it!