Attitude Determines Altitude
So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are
commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty
to do.’” – Luke 17:10
Someone has said,
“Attitude is everything.” If you have a good attitude, you are one step ahead
of the game. Attitude determines your altitude in life. And the same can be
applied to being a disciple of Jesus. In Luke 17:7-10, Jesus speaks about
attitude. For the disciple to uproot trees of unforgiveness, or move
mountainous obstacles in ministry, they must have the right attitude. What should
the attitude of a disciple of Jesus be? What attitude will help us reach
altitude with Jesus? Here Jesus tells us.
7 And which of you, having a
servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the
field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’?
An attitude that understands the call to service. The first aspect of a disciple’s attitude is that they understand they are a servant. As we mentioned in the
introduction, a “servant’ (Greek doulon)
is a slave, bondman, servant. A
servant was low man on the totem pole in society. They had few rights. They
were at the mercy of their master to a great extent. Under Old Testament Law there
were provisions to protect servants from abuse (e.g., Exodus 21:24, 26-27). But
a servant was in a humbled, humiliating position
in society.
A servant was
expected to serve. As Jesus said here, when they came in from the field their
day didn’t stop, they were expected to serve and continue serving until the
master determined they had served enough. Do you have a servant’s attitude? Can
Jesus ask you to serve and keep serving even though you have been serving all day?
Do you look for a break after you’ve served? Or are you ready to serve and keep
on serving as long and however Jesus requires you too?
8 But will he not rather say
to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I
have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’?
An attitude of readiness to serve. To “gird” oneself meant to be ready for action or ready to serve. People
of this day wore robes that made running or working cumbersome unless they
“girded” themselves. To gird meant to reach down and take the back part of
one’s robe and pull it up through your legs and tuck it into your belt making like
a pair of short pants. This removed restrictions or a flowing part of the garment
that might trip a servant up. What Jesus is saying here therefore was that,
even when you have served in the field or been plowing, you need to remain
ready to serve or answer the call of the master. Are you girded, ready to answer the call of Jesus at a moment’s notice? Are
you ready to serve even after you’ve been out in the field plowing all day? Are
you ready to serve?
9 Does he thank that servant
because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not.
An attitude of selflessness. This servant, according ot Jesus, shouldn’t expect any thanks or
affirmations from the master. A good master may give affirmation, but the
servant’s service shouldn’t be dependent on thanks from the master. A servant,
therefore, should be selfless. A servant should serve simply because that is
what they are supposed to do.
This was the attitude
of the greatest of all the prophets, John the Baptist. Of him Jesus said, “Assuredly,
I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than
John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than
he” (John 11:11). What made John so great? The attitude of his heart toward God
and His plan is what made him great. John the Baptist said:
· John 3:27–31 (NKJV) - 27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been
given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness,
that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ 29 He
who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who
stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice.
Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. 30 He must increase,
but I must decrease. 31 He
who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks
of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.
“He must increase,
but I must decrease,” that attitude is what positioned John the Baptist to be
greatly used and soar in God’s plans.
10 So likewise you, when you
have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable
servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’”
An attitude of an unprofitable servant. As we mentioned in the introduction to this chapter, “unprofitable” (Greek
achreioi adjective of achreios) means useless, unprofitable, good for nothing, worthless. We also said
this term means helpless, foolish, unfit
for war. Without their service, the servant is nothing. The idea is that a
servant should get all of their purpose
and meaning in life from their service of their master. Do you get your
meaning in life from your service of Jesus?
An attitude of being “duty” bound. The servant of Jesus, rather than looking for compliments or attention,
should be thinking “We have done what was our duty to do.” The word “duty”
(Greek opheilomen Imperfect/Active/Indicative
of opheilo) which means we are bound, we owe, we ar eindebtred. The
idea is that a servant’s attitude should
be appreciative to Jesus for the opportunity to serve Him.
We aren’t doing Jesus a favor by being His servant. The unprofitable servant shouldn’t expect lighter treatment when they
“have done what was our duty to do.” The unprofitable servant should be ready
to serve all the time, even when they have finished their initial task. We
aren’t doing Jesus a favor by serving Him. We need to always remember, we are not our own, we have been bought with
a price, the precious blood of Jesus!
The Apostles knew this
all too well and taught the followers of Jesus the same. The following inspired
words should humble us to the right unprofitable status:
Paul was inspired to
say:
· 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (NKJV) - 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the
Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you
have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought
at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are
God’s.
Peter was inspired to say:
· 1 Peter 1:17–19 (NKJV) - 17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according
to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; 18 knowing
that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but
with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without
spot.
A special treasure. On our own we are
unprofitable. But because of Jesus, we become a special treasure to God. God
called His people a “special treasure” in the Old Testament (Exodus 19:5;
Deuteronomy 7:6; 14:2; 28:12). And in the New Testament we have treasure within
(2 Cor. 4:7). We are God’s poetry (Ephesians 2;10). Without Him we are nothing.
With Jesus, we are complete (Colossians 2:10).
The Apostle Paul, in
the greatest chapter on the Resurrection, opens with an honest humble disclosure of his heart attitude. And as we
read these words, we see the attitude that enabled Paul to ascend to great
altitude with the LORD.
· 1 Corinthians 15:1–11 (NKJV) - Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I
preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by
which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to
you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first
of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to
the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose
again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He
was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was
seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to
the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that He was
seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He
was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. 9 For I am
the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I
persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am
what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more
abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11 Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so
you believed.
“For I am the least
of all the Apostles,” said the Apostle who was used by God to pen 14 of the 27
New Testament letters. “For I am the least of the Apostles,” said the one
chosen by God to preach the gospel to the Gentile world. “For I am the least of
the Apostles,” said the one who also said, “But by the grace of God I am what I
am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than
they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” That is the servant’s
selfless attitude that Jesus blesses to soar with Him in mighty deeds.
Nathan Hale was born June
6, 1755 and died just beyond his twenty-first birthday on September 22, 1776. He
was an America patriot, who served the American Revolutionary cause as a spy in
the Battle of New York. When the opportunity presented itself, Hale volunteered
to go on an intelligence gathering mission in the Battle of Harlem Heights, New
York City but was captured and sentenced to be executed by hanging. At his
execution he was asked if he had any regrets. His reply was, “I only regret
that I have but one life to give for my country.” Nathan Hale had a servant’s
heart and attitude to serve his country. Nathan Hale had faith that the
revolution he was involved with would lead to the establishment of the United
States of America. And he was willing to give his life, (and more if he could)
for that cause. Nathan Hale gave his life for an earthly temporal cause. Do you
have the same servant attitude to serve an eternal God in His eternal causes?
Dr. David Livingston, served as a missionary
explorer to Africa from 1841-1873. He left his medical practice in London to
spread the gospel in the heartland of the African continent and fought the Arab
slave trade in the process. He became the best known and most loved of
missionaries to Africa. He traveled a total of 29,000 miles during his
missionary life. In 1873 David Livingston was found dead in an African hut,
where he died on his knees in prayer. David Livingston died on his knees in
prayer. What a way to go! When he died those who had been blessed by his
ministry buried his heart under a tree in Africa and carried his embalmed body
on a one year journey to the sea where it could be taken to his homeland of
England and buried there. Btu his heart remained in Africa. In England he
received the burial honors due a prince or king. What did this great partner of
Jesus say about his life? Listen:
"People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of
my life in Africa. Can that be called a sacrifice, which is simply paid back as
a small part of the great debt owed to our God, which we can never repay? Is
that a sacrifice which brings its own reward of healthful activity, the consciousness
of doing good, peace of mind, and a bright hope of glorious destiny hereafter?
"Away with such a word, such a view, and such a thought! It is
emphatically no sacrifice. Say, rather, it is a privilege. Anxiety, sickness,
suffering or danger now and then, with a foregoing of the common conveniences
and charities of this life, may make us pause and cause the spirit to waver and
sink; but let this only be for a moment. All these are nothing when compared
with the glory which shall hereafter be revealed in and for us. I never made a
sacrifice. Of this we ought not to talk when we remember the great sacrifice
which He made who left His Father's throne on high to give Himself for
us." - David Livingston, missionary to Africa. [1]
Do you have an
attitude like Nathan Hale or David Livingston that will help you soar in
altitude in the secular or spiritual causes of God? In effect we need to stoop
low to soar high. Do you accept that you are an unprofitable servant with no
rights, and no basis before God to be anything except thankful to be included
and used by God. We need to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God that
He might exalt us in due time (1 Peter 5:6-7). Your attitude determines your
altitude with Jesus. What’s your attitude?
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