Four Destructive Attitudes

Jeremiah 48:29

We have heard the pride of Moab, (he is exceeding proud) his loftiness, and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart.

Moab’s attitude had more to do with its destruction than anything else. Moab’s attitudes led to it embracing that it was indestructible, but God showed it otherwise.

Many organizations, churches, and individuals have embraced the same attitudes of Moab to their destruction. You must never forget that your perspective about yourself and others always affects your treatment of God and others. Keeping a right perspective about yourself keeps you growing and improving yourself to be transformed into the image of Christ. However, embracing Moab’s four destructive attitudes will destroy the best of people. Let me share these four destructive attitudes and how you can avoid them.

Loftiness is the first destructive attitude. Loftiness is treating others as if their thinking is inferior to yours. Loftiness is always thinking that your ideas are better. Loftiness keeps you from taking another’s idea and using it for your betterment and profit. The only reason one would have a lofty attitude is because they are afraid someone else will get the credit for success instead of themselves.

Arrogancy is the second destructive attitude. Arrogancy is an attitude that I am so important that you cannot make it without me. Arrogancy is the attitude of a church member or staff member who believes the church will collapse if they leave. Arrogancy is the attitude of an employee who thinks the business they work for will crumble if they left. Arrogancy is an inflated self-importance attitude that you need me, but I don't need you.

Pride is the third destructive attitude. Pride is an attitude that brags about what they have done as if they have done it all on their own. Pride is the feeling that you are better than others because of your accomplishments. Pride is an attitude that you can do it again without God’s help or the help of the team that helped you to accomplish what you accomplished.

Haughtiness is the attitude that I am better than others. Haughtiness is an attitude that causes you to look down on those who may not have accomplished what you have. Haughtiness is the larger church looking down on every smaller church as if they are inferior. Haughtiness is the pastor of the larger church looking down on the pastor of a smaller church. Haughtiness is when the wealthy person looks down on the one who is struggling financially.

The best way to avoid these destructive attitudes is by realizing that you would be where everyone you look down on is living if it were not for God’s grace and mercy. You can avoid these attitudes by realizing you have made it to where you are because of God.

Moreover, you can avoid these attitudes by realizing everyone has done something you have not done and knows something that you need to learn. These attitudes can be avoided by keeping a spirit of learning from everyone.

Furthermore, you can avoid these attitudes by looking at how much further you need to go instead of how high you have climbed. Nobody has arrived; therefore, keep your eyes on how much further you need to climb, and you will avoid these destructive attitudes.