A fourth desirable characteristic for a favorable Attitude is patience (Gal.5: 22). It is the ability and willingness to hang on or respond in difficult and different conditions and circumstances. Since we are all different, so is patience. Many of us are in a hurry and require breaks. Just as many or more are too slow and need to be pushed. In either case, we shall find that God moves with us at our speed. The Bible encourages us to wait on the Lord and He shall direct our path (Ps.37: 34). The people that were inspired to write about patience, learned from their own failures to be patient. They had fortified themselves with faith hope and love in God and only few were allowed to see their patience rewarded in this life (Heb. 11). Of course, we are not the Biblical Patriarchs or the Saints and we are on a much shorter leash of patience. Nevertheless, we are just as much in need of patience as they were and it is up to us to acquire it and make use of it. Those of us that do can cool our temper and become lesser fools. A physician had this advice, "Gentlemen, let us not hurry; we have no time to lose" (Wa. 2311).

The third need in attitude is being at peace with one self and others (Gal.5: 22). I would like to call it, "the ability to ease tensions." Jesus encouraged His disciples thus, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" (Jn.14: 27). On Christmas 1924, Thomas Hardy penned these words: "Peace upon earth was said; we sing it and pay a million priests to bring it. After two thousand years of mass, we have got as far as poison gas" (Wa. 2376). Since then, scientists have added the "H Bomb" and some "Nukes." Neither scientific progress nor religion has brought us peace. Rather, they have turned us into nervous bundles of fear.

The second characteristic of a good attitude is joy (Gal.5: 22). When it becomes active, it spreads cheers. Jesus made this statement, "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (Jn.16: 33). Joy can be a door that keeps out the obstacles the world throws at us. And when we dare to spread some cheer in spite of our trials and tribulations then even the world begins to bow at our attitude. It is difficult to look at a cheerful countenance without mellowing and reciprocating in some manner. Joy originates in the heart and then puts a smile on the face (Prov.15: 13). "A cheerful heart is good medicine" (Prov.17: 22). "It takes sixty-four muscles of the face to make a frown and only thirteen to make a smile" (Wa. 2190). Why not try smiling for fun?

Love, yes, it is a wonderful word. How good are we in using it? To begin with, it does not mean the same thing for all of us. In a way, we all have our own definition that defines our character and determines our attitude. Yet, without the ingredient of love, we will not acquire an attitude that makes us a better person.

The Apostle Paul called it, "the fruit of the Spirit"(Gal.5: 22). I would like to think of it as being "my attitude." It is particularly my attitude toward behavior. In fact, my behavior is the fruit of my attitude. It makes public what is within me and within everyone of us. I am not looking for the obvious or the glaring but a little "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." These things are not magical or mystical that God only can bestow. Rather, these things we all can adapt and practice on our journey through life. We do need to practice these things to be better persons. I shall deal with each one of these necessary characteristics of behavior in my series. To begin with, however, I would like to share my latest experience on the influence of attitude on behavior. It is with the intent to test my attitude and invite you to do likewise.

The Apostle Paul called it, "the fruit of the Spirit"(Gal.5: 22). I would like to think of it as being "my attitude." It is particularly my attitude toward behavior. In fact, my behavior is the fruit of my attitude. It makes public what is within me and within everyone of us. I am not looking for the obvious or the glaring but a little "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." These things are not magical or mystical that God only can bestow. Rather, these things we all can adapt and practice on our journey through life. We do need to practice these things to be better persons. I shall deal with each one of these necessary characteristics of behavior in my series. To begin with, however, I would like to share my latest experience on the influence of attitude on behavior. It is with the intent to test my attitude and invite you to do likewise.

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," Jesus told me. Again, I am John, the disciple Jesus loved and I was privileged to see who Jesus really was and what He had done for humanity. What He had begun on earth continues in far greater glory in heaven. The more He would be opposed on earth, the more He would conquer the hearts of men and women, young and old. Whenever a people will close one door, He will open another among another people. Hell will not prevail against His Church or Kingdom because they are as eternal as He is. His followers shall celebrate Mass on earth and in heaven. Even God, the Father, has bestowed the highest honor on the Son.

I am Saul of Tarsus. Yes, I am the one that guarded the clothes of those that stoned Stephen, that persecuted the followers of Jesus and that met the Lord on the road to Damascus. My Lord Jesus had to make a special appearance to halt me from my zeal to persecute His followers. I was zealous for the traditions of our fathers and used the law to enforce them. I disobeyed the counsel of my teacher Gamaliel who cautioned us to wait and see whether Jesus was of God. I took it for granted that God was on our side. There were more than five hundred witnesses that would have disagreed with me, but I believed our false leaders and misrepresentatives of our sacred writings. I had to be blinded with a beam of light from heaven to bring me to my senses. That is why I was the last and the least of the apostles to receive mercy from my Lord Jesus, the Christ.

I am Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus. Through my cousin Mark and his family in Jerusalem, I had familiarized myself with the events surrounding Jesus. During this time, I became acquainted with some of His disciples. I too was in Jerusalem for the Passover and lived through Jesus' final days and His resurrection from the dead. We were surrounded with a mysterious uncertainty. It changed suddenly when we had come to pray on Pentecost. The place shook and people began to come alive about Jesus. Most of these people were speaking in languages that were foreign to them. Men that hid from the authorities out of fear were fearless. Simon Peter defended the event as an act of the outpouring of God's Spirit on all of us and that it was the result of Jesus mission to Israel. From that day on, I became an intimate member of that group and did what I could to spread the message of Jesus our Lord and Savior, the Messiah or Christ.

James Zebedee was my older brother and King Herod deprived him of sharing his life and contribution with you. He was the first among us that Herod the King regarded as a serious threat and that is why he had him killed. He was not the kind of person that would sound off to be noticed. Rather, we knew that he was there beside us and we could count on him to protect our backs. He was our father Zebedee's right hand man and so he was for us. I am John and I knew him best and I felt that you might want to know what he did to keep us going after Jesus had left us.