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“Attitude reflects leadership, Captain”  – Julius Campbell.

The 2000 hit movie, “Remember the Titans,” has got to be one of the best movies of all time. I’m not just saying one of the best football movies, or sports movies. I’m talking one of the best movies of all time.

If you have never seen this movie, you should. This movie is based around the 1971 fall football season when integrated school T.C. Williams in Alexandria hired its first black coach and combined schools and for the first time would have students of all shades of God playing together.

Towards the beginning of the movie there is a scene where emotions are high at a football camp and Julius Campbell and Gerry Bertier get in a heated argument about doing your job on the field and playing like a team.

The conversations goes this way: Julius- “Nobody plays! Yourself included! I’m supposed to wear myself out for the team? What team?! No, No. What I’m gonna do is, I’m gonna look out for myself, and I’m gonna get mine.” Gerry-“See, man? That’s the worst attitude I ever heard.” Julius- “Attitude reflects leadership, Captain.”

Attitude is everything. Mandy Hale is credited with saying, “A great attitude becomes a great day which becomes a great month which becomes a great year which becomes a great life.” Your attitude sets the pace for your life.

The apostle Paul wrote to the Philippian church some positive attitude challenges. All of Philippians 2 is a great challenge on having a positive attitude, and in Philippians 4:8 we are told, “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things (NASB).” Gaining and keeping a positive attitude is a challenge, ain’t it? The folks and personalities we get to deal with, the places we work, the stresses that rob us of joy, etc, all make it a truly difficult thing to get and keep a good attitude. The thing is, your attitude rubs off on the folks around you. Think about some positive person you know. Isn’t life so much better around them? Be that person. Imitate their love for life and the joy they display. Choose to have a good attitude. Keeping a good attitude is challenging if you ever have to deal with an upset parent, customer, student, boss or family member. Folks can break a good attitude, but keep at it. Memorize Philippians 4:8 and dwell on the true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, excellent and praise worthy. Allow folks to follow your positive leadership.

Rev. J. Cameron Bailey is pastor of Kenbridge Christian Church. He can be reached at jamescameronbailey@gmail.com.