Someone said, “A bad attitude is like a flat tire, you won’t get anywhere unless you change it.” I suppose
there’s wisdom in this statement. It’s easy to have a great attitude when life is going your way, but it’s not
long until reality kicks in and the “nails of life” pop the next tire. There are countless circumstances that evoke
negative attitudes; loss of a job, death of a loved one, sickness, a fence blowing over, stepping in a puddle, etc.
In this essay I will focus on incarceration as the central example of a negative circumstance.
There are sixty-six books in the Bible, and you’re hard-pressed to find one of them where someone isn’t in jail.
Additionally, if you were to name ten famous people from the Bible, the chances are high that at least half of
them spent time in jail. As we read accounts of incarceration throughout the Bible, the attitude of the inmate
is an important thing to take note of. This essay aims to focus on how we can have a Christ-like attitude no
matter how negative our circumstances get.
When someone gets arrested and put in jail, those first few hours, days, and weeks are especially negative,
involving feelings of hopelessness, depression, confusion, anger, desperation, etc. In short, jail starts out
terrible. For some, it may remain terrible from start to finish. However, that’s not always the case. Consider
the Apostle Paul’s attitude in jail. Paul was incarcerated for his faith, as it was both illegal to be a Christian
under the Roman Empire and the Jews were regularly seeking to do away with Paul and his ministry. Paul had
experienced being stripped naked, beaten with rods, stoned, starved, whipped, and chained in dungeons.
Many of his arrests began with intense torture. Five times Paul received the “40 lashes minus 1,” which was a
punishment handed down by the Jews (2 Corinthians 11:24, Deuteronomy 25:3). The Jews used a whip having
three tails. With each whiplash counting as three, thirteen strikes were delivered, totaling 39 lashes. A 14th
lash would equate to 42 lashes and thus exceed the limit of the law. The historian Josephus also records these
details (Josephus, Ant. 4. viii, section 21).
You might know that Jesus was scourged (whipped) by the Romans (John 19:1). Unlike the Jews, the Romans
(or Gentiles) were not limited by laws in the number of lashes they could inflict. Equally important to note,
Roman whips were more severe in style, having pieces of bone, glass, or metal fixed on the end of the whip
tails. As the tails struck the inmate, the hard pieces would embed into the skin and muscle and tear strips
from the body. Jesus received this type of scourging before He was crucified.
So, there’s no doubt that prison started as a terrible experience for Paul. However, we see how his attitude
remained focused on Christ, allowing his circumstances to become something great! Philippians 1:12-14,
“Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the
gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole
praetorian guard and to everyone else, and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my
imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.”
Paul declares, “my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel.
” Consider how
marvelous this statement is. “My circumstances,” i.e. prison, “have turned out,” meaning that they started as
all incarceration does; miserable, negative, painful, etc. Yet Paul is able to say that prison has turned out
great! I’m sure when he was first arrested again Paul was tempted with thoughts of hopelessness. Paul could
have thrown in the towel and told himself, “This faith in Jesus isn’t working! I’m seeing more trouble than I
deserve!” Too many Christians will jump to these conclusions. We must realize that an unfit attitude creates
an improper perspective. Paul was steadfast and wouldn’t let his circumstances derail his faith in Jesus! This is a hearty reminder that my attitude will change when I want it to. My attitude is under my control. Will I let
me attitude match my circumstances, or will my attitude rise above it? Paul declares that prison became something great, and he gives three reasons for this. First, the gospel was
preached! In prison, Paul was a central figure in advancing “the greater progress of the gospel.
” Secondly, non-believers were becoming saved and the gospel was reaching beyond the prison walls,
“my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known through the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else.”
The praetorian guard were guardians to the heads of Rome, sort of the secret service of Rome. Paul could
have looked upon his jailers and detested them, as many wrongly do. But Paul loved his enemies and saw
their value as people made in God’s image. Paul’s attitude towards them changed them and they listened to
his message of hope and love in Jesus. In the same way, my attitude towards others determines their attitude
towards me and impacts their attitude toward Jesus. Third, believers became strengthened,
“most of the
brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God
without fear.” In other words, Paul’s attitude was contagious. Likewise, my attitude is contagious!
Paul’s attitude enabled him to see what others could not see, which is that jail is an opportunity! Too many
inmates simply bide their time playing poker and watching Jerry Springer on television. Instead, one should
see jail as an opportunity for God to do great things! Paul’s attitude enabled him to remain optimistic,
believing that God would do great things in Paul’s worst moments. Do you believe that God will do great
things in your terrible circumstances?
Paul’s attitude enabled him to stay on mission. Prison and beatings could not push Paul to abandon his faith.
Sadly, too many Christians abandon their faith when life goes south. As a chaplain, I remember giving an
inmate a death notification. After talking for a bit, I asked him if he was a person of faith. He quickly replied,
“Don’t talk to me about God. I’m done with God!” Losing a loved one is terrible, but it should never be a
reason to dismiss God. Satan tempts us to reject God when life gets tough, but the righteous will lean into
God all the more.
Paul continues on in verses 15-18 and addresses his attitude toward those who hated him. Philippians 1:15-
18, “Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the
latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim
Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my
imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and
in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice.”
Remember in verse 14, Paul said that his imprisonment had caused many Christians to preach the Word of
God with courage and without fear. Now Paul says that some of these same brothers, “are preaching Christ
even from envy and strife.” These believers don’t have envy or strife about Jesus, but about Paul, “thinking
to cause me distress in my imprisonment.
” Why would fellow believers respond this way, and who are the
ones acting like this? Paul doesn’t give specifics, but it’s possibly Judaizers who were Jews that converted to
Christianity but maintained adherence to the Law. These converts professed Jesus as the Messiah but they
had mixed and low opinions of Paul, since Paul preached that the church no longer needed the ceremonial
law. Or, the people Paul speaks of here could be those in the church who are envious of Paul’s position and
authority. These individuals, knowing that Paul’s stuck in prison, have “selfish ambition.
” They’re glad to see
Paul locked up and hoping to gain status of their own. Paul says that these people preach Christ out of false“pretense,” i.e. with wrong motives. The bottom line is this, Paul isn’t concerned about personal attacks. Paul
says that as long as “Christ is proclaimed…I rejoice.” Paul is far more concerned about what is being said of
Jesus, that what is being said of himself. That’s a great attitude!
Paul goes on to say that others are proclaiming Christ with an overall heart of “good will.” This means that
their attitude in proclaiming the gospel wasn’t about any selfish goals, nor of any ill-will of Paul. Ultimately,
Paul had heard that many in Philippi were discouraged upon hearing that he had been imprisoned for so long.
Paul writes to the Philippian church to encourage their hearts, and to invite them to pray for him all the more,
hoping to be freed and able to continue his missionary journeys. However, in jail or on the street, Paul is busy
magnifying Jesus.
No matter how negative our circumstances become, by focusing on Jesus and being kingdom minded, we can
also testify that our circumstances have turned out to be great!
Paul goes on to say in Philippians 2:3-5, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of
mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal
interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ
Jesus.” Verse 5 is such a standout verse, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.”
This means that I can have the same disposition as Jesus. Being led by the Spirit, Jesus was able to see
circumstances as opportunities and even see His enemies through eyes of compassion. Will you let the Holy
Spirit govern and lead you this way?
Beyond the positive and determined attitudes of Jesus, Paul also mirrored the servant attitude that he saw in
Jesus. As Paul’s identity wasn’t in his calling as an apostle, but in his relationship with Jesus, this identity
afforded him the heart of a servant leader. A servant leader will forgo his rights if it somehow benefits others.
Paul considered his own needs nothing, but focused on being a servant to all. 1 Corinthians 9:19, “For though
I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more.” How did he live out these
bold statements? Sometimes he would abstain from things he loved, like certain foods and drinks. Other
times he might refuse financial support from people he served, choosing instead to provide for himself.
Sometimes it meant that he went hungry, or clothed himself poorly. Other times he’d subject himself to
beatings, or scourging from whips, or subjecting himself to imprisonment. At any point Paul could have said,
“The people I serve to aren’t worth this. I’m retiring! Time to put my toes in the sand and collect sea-shells.”
Instead, Paul thought about his Savior, as well as the countless people he could serve, and they were worthy
of Paul’s self-denial.
Paul instructs Timothy about this in 2 Timothy 2, “Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead…for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal.
For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the
salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.” Look again at what Paul says at the end there. He
says that he endures all things for the sake of others, so that others may share in the salvation which Paul
himself enjoys. Paul served, without recanting his faith, even when pressed to the point of being killed, being
beheaded by Emperor Nero around 65 A.D.
Before he died, Paul’s determination culminated in his journey to Rome; Rome by way of Jerusalem first. He
expresses his resolve in Acts 20:22-24, “And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city,
saying that bonds and afflictions await me. But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself,
so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of
the gospel of the grace of God.” How many of us would say, “I’m on my way to go get beat up, and probably
killed, but it’s okay, my life is of no account to me, as long as Christ get’s glorified! What matters is finishing
my life in full obedience; tirelessly and joyfully testifying of Jesus!” Regardless of how your life has gone up to
this point, how you finish matters. That’s determination! Do you have an attitude of determination for Jesus?
Again, I say, Paul’s life modeled a positive attitude, a servant attitude, and a determined attitude.
My attitude at the start of something will affect the outcome more than anything else. My attitude is a major
difference between success and failure. My attitude towards others determines their attitude towards me.
My attitude can give me an improper perspective or a proper perspective. My attitude will change when I
want it to. My attitude needs constant adjustment. My attitude is contagious.
