Have you ever told someone they needed an attitude adjustment? Have you faced someone who relayed that same message to you? Many people live day to day with little regard to the importance of making changes in how they act and react. In order to appreciate those with positive attitudes, think of times that people with rotten attitudes spoiled your day. Some are probably thinking, correction please…living with, working with, serving with, dealing with people who have bad attitudes can spoil a lifetime. Life is too short for sour attitudes to spoil precious memories.

Learning to control and create positive attitudes takes preparation, patience, and practice. We can’t fly off the handle, nor can we look at daily encounters with pessimism. We must seek control of our actions and thoughts while embracing a positive outlook. We either learn to control our attitude or it will consume and control us. Reading an old essay by an unknown author brings revelation to this issue of attitude.

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on my life. Attitude to me is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstance, than failures, than successes, than what other people think, say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past…we cannot change the face that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is, play on the one thing we have, and that is our attitude.

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.”

These words resonate a message of truth, especially during the holiday season. Instead of the Grinch stealing Christmas, bad attitudes spoil joy to the world and peace in homes and hearts. People with miserable attitudes rain on parades and risk close relationships with family and friends. The attitude we live by becomes attached to our personal identification. When people think of us, the way we act rises up in their minds. Should you make a choice to change the way you act…and react?

While reflecting on the importance of attitude in others, we should first look at ourselves. Do daily choices show the Lord and loved ones that we take seriously the impact and importance of attitude?

Jesus came into the world as God’s Son and our Savior. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords was born in a lowly manger with smelly cattle and camels sharing this amazing miracle of love. He lived a life of obscurity in humbleness. He made choices to have a good attitude, living life perfectly, honestly, and humbly. Jesus knew people’s lives would be touched and tendered by His Servant leadership.

A great gift idea this Christmas — getting a good attitude that lasts a lifetime!