How to develop godly attitudes

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Joshua 22:21–23:16 
Luke 20:27-47 
Psalm 89:14-37 
Proverbs 13:17-19

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Luke 20:45-47 (CSB) "While all the people were listening, he said to his disciples, 'Beware of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes and who love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and say long prayers just for show. These will receive harsher judgment.'"

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

As we read the Gospels, it is easy to stand in judgment of the religious leaders of Jesus' day. They were hypocrites. We can see it and Jesus periodically labeled them as such.

A painful truth to reflect on is that it is easy to see hypocrisy in others but it's not so easy to see it in ourselves.

In our verse for today, Jesus warned his followers of the religious leaders. He went through a list of six characteristics that made it clear that they were filled with pride and loved the praise of people. These are heart attitudes. Sure, the religious leaders went about their 'holy' duties but their hearts revealed that they weren't doing it for the Lord - they were doing it for themselves.

Hypocrisy is simply appearing to be one thing while actually being something else. When we try to appear good, and righteous, and holy to others and yet have heart attitudes that are displeasing to God, we are hypocrites.

So, what's the answer? I think there are a few action points we need to take:

• Confess and repent (turn from) these heart attitudes. Acknowledge them before the Lord, see them as the ugliness that God says they are, and work to get rid of them.
• Enlist a prayer partner or accountability partner. You may find great help in a fellow Jesus-follower who will pray for you and point out areas of concern.
• Replace sinful heart attitudes with holy heart attitudes. Nature abhors a vacuum. If you get rid of something bad, you had better replace it with something good very soon. So, spend time in your Bible. Consider memorizing and meditating on heart attitudes that you need to develop. Ask God's Holy Spirit to do this work in you.

Essentially, this is a life-long process that will never be fully completed this side of Heaven. But, the important thing is that we are becoming more like Jesus and less like the world as the months and years pass.