Attitudes

Right from the beginning Jesus told His disciples that there were certain attitudes they needed to have--not just wanted to have.
He told them that they needed to be poor in spirit, beggars in spirit. Recognizing that they were not in the least bit worthy to stand in His presence, that they were totally dependent on His great mercy and grace, they should daily come to the throne of mercy and grace crying out for His help for each day. And they should remember that every cry for help, God forever keeps around His throne--a sweet smelling incense that brings joy to His heart.
They should be a people who mourn, men and women of sorrow. Seeing the effect of sin on humanity and His creation should break their hearts. It should be a sadness that moves them to compassion for the needs of all those around them. And even a sadness that causes them to groan with His creation as it waits for the day of final redemption. And until then, they should do all they can to bring redemption to men and to work for the welfare of His created world.
They should be gentle people--genuinely humble, unpretentious. Spite and malice and the desire to repay evil with evil should find not even the smallest corner in their hearts to hide where it might fester and grow into harshness and a vengeful spirit.
They should be righteous, have an unquenchable teachable spirit. Their deepest desire should be to be in lock step with the will of God, trusting that He is behind the scene orchestrating their circumstances into a symphony of His glory and of His love visible and undeniable to those around them. They should desire personal holiness. They should live lives that resonate their confidence that the infinite God of love and wisdom always acts in perfect righteousness and perfect justice. And so they will obey His every command, leaving the outcome to Him.
They should be merciful. Recognizing their own sinfulness, they should be men and women of compassion, of unhesitating forgiveness, of a deep faith in God's willingness to save to the uttermost all who will come to Him for His mercy. Their daily lives and their daily witness should undeniably affirm that "if God could save me, He can save anyone." And that He wants to.
They should be pure in heart. Their daily prayer should be "search me, O God and know my heart today; try me O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray. See if their be some wicked way in me; cleanse me from every sin, and set me free." And knowing that His Spirit will always find a heart in need of daily cleansing, they will live a life of daily confession. They will yearn for a life free of the hypocrisy of doing the right things for the wrong reasons.
They will be peacemakers. Knowing that peace can only come to men when men come to God, they will walk in the gospel of peace wherever they go. They will introduce whomever they interact with to the One who promises "My peace I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled. Believe in Me, the God of all peace--the eternal Prince of Peace."

'Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me. All my spirit refine, 'til the beauty of Jesus be seen in me." This Lord I need above all else.