Success is not measured in talent, ability, or riches, but rather in your attitude.
The year was 1890 and report cards were being sent home from the schools in England. A young sixteen-year-old boy took his card home and, with fear and anticipation, he opened the envelope. Although he was a bright student, his speech impediment made him something less than desirable to listen to. After glancing at his report card for several minutes, he found these words written to him from his speech teacher. “Obvious, No Success.” The young teenage boy looked at those words and determined that his life was going to be a success! The sixteen-year-old boy’s name was Winston Churchill, and he later did go on to become a great success.
The year was 1890 and report cards were being sent home from the schools in England. A young sixteen-year-old boy took his card home and, with fear and anticipation, he opened the envelope. Although he was a bright student, his speech impediment made him something less than desirable to listen to. After glancing at his report card for several minutes, he found these words written to him from his speech teacher. “Obvious, No Success.” The young teenage boy looked at those words and determined that his life was going to be a success! The sixteen-year-old boy’s name was Winston Churchill, and he later did go on to become a great success.
What was the difference maker in this man’s life? Attitude! Success is not measured in talent, ability, or riches, but rather in your attitude. Winston Churchill said these words, “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.”
The Bible gives much reference to our attitude as Christians. The word spirit simply means “our prevailing attitude.” Here are a few examples of spirits or attitudes in the Bible.
Jealous
Evil
Wicked
Haughty
Prideful
Meek
Humble
Conquering
Wounded
Doubting
Aside from Christ, one of the greatest examples that we see in the Bible of a good attitude is that of a man by the name of Daniel. If there ever was a man who had an excuse to have a negative attitude, it was Daniel. Daniel was a taken from family and friends, became a prisoner of war, and was forced to live in a wicked country. Yet we find in Daniel 6:1-3 that Daniel was promoted and exalted above all the king’s men because of his excellent spirit.
Jealous
Evil
Wicked
Haughty
Prideful
Meek
Humble
Conquering
Wounded
Doubting
Aside from Christ, one of the greatest examples that we see in the Bible of a good attitude is that of a man by the name of Daniel. If there ever was a man who had an excuse to have a negative attitude, it was Daniel. Daniel was a taken from family and friends, became a prisoner of war, and was forced to live in a wicked country. Yet we find in Daniel 6:1-3 that Daniel was promoted and exalted above all the king’s men because of his excellent spirit.
Let me ask you, what type of attitude do you have? If we were to ask your parents, pastor, youth pastor, friends and teachers, what would they say about you? Could they say that you, like Daniel, have an excellent spirit?
Here are few helpful thoughts that teenagers can apply to their lives as they seek to have an attitude that will honor and glorify God.
1. Never allow circumstances to dictate your attitude.
There will always be enough negative things that will happen each day to cause you to have a negative attitude.
You will fail a test.
Your friends will lie about you.
You had plans to hang out at a friend’s house only to have your parents say no.
There are endless examples. You can either decide to allow these negative circumstances to control your attitude, or you can take charge of your attitude and live on the winning side.
2. Attitude determines altitude.
How high you soar in life will ultimately depend upon your attitude. Someone once said, “We are not born winners, and we are not born losers. We are all born choosers.” The attitude of success or failure is an attitude that you choose for yourself.
3. Attitude is contagious.
In Daniel chapter one, we find that Daniel purposed in his heart not to defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat. As a result, three other young men decided to make the same choice as Daniel. Why? Because his attitude was contagious. Your attitude is either infecting people’s lives or it is affecting people’s lives. If our attitude is contagious, is yours worth catching? What kind of youth group would we have if everyone in the youth group had your attitude? Make your attitude worth catching!
1. Never allow circumstances to dictate your attitude.
There will always be enough negative things that will happen each day to cause you to have a negative attitude.
You will fail a test.
Your friends will lie about you.
You had plans to hang out at a friend’s house only to have your parents say no.
There are endless examples. You can either decide to allow these negative circumstances to control your attitude, or you can take charge of your attitude and live on the winning side.
2. Attitude determines altitude.
How high you soar in life will ultimately depend upon your attitude. Someone once said, “We are not born winners, and we are not born losers. We are all born choosers.” The attitude of success or failure is an attitude that you choose for yourself.
3. Attitude is contagious.
In Daniel chapter one, we find that Daniel purposed in his heart not to defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat. As a result, three other young men decided to make the same choice as Daniel. Why? Because his attitude was contagious. Your attitude is either infecting people’s lives or it is affecting people’s lives. If our attitude is contagious, is yours worth catching? What kind of youth group would we have if everyone in the youth group had your attitude? Make your attitude worth catching!
Our attitude is something that can be very effective if used in the proper manner. May each of us strive to make our attitude something that can be used greatly in the hand of an Almighty God.
