As I work my way through life, through marriage, through parenting, and through God's word I am keenly aware of one thing....
ALL of life is about relationship.
Relationship with God.
Relationship with my wife.
Relationship with kids, and grandkids.
Relationship with PEOPLE! People are everywhere and if I'm going to survive well I have to deal with them, get along with them and care about them,
But there is a problem. You know the problem well, don't you? People are selfish, mean, frustrating, prideful, hard to get along with and just messy! People make life hard!!! Isn't that funny? People around us are our main source of joy, frustration and struggle. And it's just plain messy!
Today I'm working on a passage of scripture I will be teaching this week and it's all about relationships....how to get along with PEOPLE. You would think we would have this figured out by now, but we don't tolerate each other very well. We can't seem to get along with others well at all. The ongoing wars on our little planet tell the tale of our inability to exist together. We seem better able to kill than to care.
Anyway, the passage I'm working through is all about relationships and the key word for these relationship to work is the word "submit." It's this idea: "put under, subdue unto, (be, make) subject (to, unto), be (put) in subjection (to, under), submit self unto." Now you see why we don't do this well, don't you? We are in a ME world with instructions from God's word to make this an OTHERS world. It's something that we can only do as we imitate the only one who ever did it perfectly- Jesus.
Submit to one another, in other words put others ahead of you...put them first...care about them more than you do about you. That's the solution to our world's problems, but it can only happen as I allow God to live it out in me. He did it perfectly and he can do it now through me....if I will let him. It would be really easy if it weren't for all the people I have to deal with.....
2 comments:
Thanks Mike. You nailed it. We are human and so at times insensitive, and hurt with our words, often without meaning to. Others become hurt, hearts harden and refuse to forgive even when apologies are made, and lack of intent to hurt made clear. Rom 12:10 entreats us to Honor one another above yourselves.” and Proverbs 19:11 says “A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.” Pride plays a huge role in both giving and taking offense. I read once that it is hard to offend a truly humble person! May we all pray for that humility that comes only from the Holy Spirit so that we strive neither to offend not take offense!
I love all the Proverbs. They are so clear cut most of the time... the tongue, evil vs. upright, pride, fools, etc. I think if love is the most important thing, meaning you may be working on getting resentment out of your heart, but you still profess truth in love, and pray for others out of love, as Christ extends his love and grace to us, as you said..... we can do it with only him working through us. Otherwise, it is almost impossible with some people. All relationships I think take us somewhere, whether challenging or wonderfully supportive, offensive, or filled with peace. Interesting and much needed topic. So many hard hearts. God can use us to soften them. But people have to be willing. And that may require lots of prayer and time, dedication, and planning according to His word.
I agree to pray for humility for all that comes from the Holy Spirit as Ann said, to speak wisely, or to be quiet. Reach out or not... seeking God's wisdom daily, he will show anyone how to do this. And that is why I love proverbs and also Paul's instructions and examples of how to get along. It takes daily work for me to live like this, it is not just something that comes easy. Working for the Lord, submitting to His will, daily, consciously, with his Spirit leading and controlling me, then it might be I succeed in helping others to see what He wants them to see... Him, his love, his grace, and all that he can be for each person if we accept correction and live as a vessel.
My mind is not very focused today, Mike. Sorry about that, but I wanted to comment and assimilation of what I wanted to say just doesn't sound good to me, all well. I am grateful for my relationships that are upbuilding and for those that tear down. The tearing down and dealing with personal relationships that need to find the WAY and the truth, life, light, but don't. God still gives me love for them thank goodness. But I have to be more prudent. I better quit now. I'm not having a very good cognitive day. Thank you for your post.
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