Adjusting My Attitude (Whether I Want to or Not)

Scripture – Mark 1:40-45: ⁴⁰A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” ⁴¹Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” ⁴²Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured. ⁴³Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: ⁴⁴“See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” ⁴⁵Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

Reflection: Here’s a growing edge for me. Over and over Jesus encounters people. And always He has an attitude of openness to them. This man came up to Jesus with a request. Jesus was “filled with compassion.”

More times than I care to admit, people will come into my life and I’m filled with something far less than compassion. It’s usually a sense of frustration, related to resentment. I’ll tend to see people as interruptions in the midst of my “important” work. Yet, what do I have to do that’s more important than loving someone for a few minutes?

I’ll monitor myself this week. With God’s help I’ll make whatever attitude adjustments are necessary when I encounter people. I’ll nurture compassion.

Lord, thank you for always loving and listening to me. Teach me and transform me to be more like you in the way I see other people. Forgive my self-centeredness. Teach to me welcome people as you do.