I believe everyone wants good relationships with their loved ones, co-workers, and friends. But what do you do when the relationship is strained or broken due to a failing on the other persons part? In the Bible, Paul dealt with that in Galatians 6:1.
"Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself." (NLT)
Notice that this call for restoration is a measure of the spirituality of the person who instigates the restoration. How we restore someone back into relationship with us and with God is to be done with gentleness and humility because we may need that same grace-filled treatment ourselves.
The whole issue of restoring someone, who usually is hiding in shame, and bringing them back to authentic relationship with God, themselves, and us is one of the purposes God created us for in the beginning.
Is there someone who has fallen you should talk to today? One of the best things you can do is to love them and walk alongside them.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Crossing the Rubicon of Relationships
The year was 49 B.C. The order came down to Julius Caesar to disband his army and give up the struggle. He stood on the banks of the Rubicon River and pondered his dilemma. If he continued his march by crossing the river there could be no turning back. He turned to his troops, tore up his orders, and led his dedicated legion across the Rubicon to march against Rome. This act of commitment to his cause brought about a declaration of war against the Senate and, for Caesar, paved the way for his becoming ruler of the Roman world. Since that day the phrase, "crossing the Rubicon", has been used to signify total commitment to a cause from which there can be no turning back.
There is a Rubicon in every interpersonal relationship. That is, there is a line of commitment we cross from which we are "in" for the duration. Commitment is a missing element in many modern relationships. We live in a day when we have throw away marriages and families, throw away careers, and throw away friendships. Many lives, including our own, are devasted when this happens.
Why not "cross the Rubicon" of relationships and make lifelong commitments to all those relationships and people you treasure in your life? Once you do this you will find your life is so much more satisfying.
There is a Rubicon in every interpersonal relationship. That is, there is a line of commitment we cross from which we are "in" for the duration. Commitment is a missing element in many modern relationships. We live in a day when we have throw away marriages and families, throw away careers, and throw away friendships. Many lives, including our own, are devasted when this happens.
Why not "cross the Rubicon" of relationships and make lifelong commitments to all those relationships and people you treasure in your life? Once you do this you will find your life is so much more satisfying.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Getting Along
"I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought." I Corinthians 1:10 (NIV)
The Bible doesn't tell us "one anothers" to just get along with one another. The apostle Paul calls us to a higher standard than just getting along. He tells us in Philippians 2:1-2 to have the same mind, the same love, and to be one in spirit and purpose. Your life's testimony is validated by how well you get along with other people at work, church, school, and first and foremost those people in your own house.
Love really doesn't look like love when it's accompanied by arguments, fighting, and ongoing disputes. Now, we all know that anytime you put people together there are going to be conflicts. I've been married 38 years this summer to Dianne and even though we vowed "till death do us part," we have had conflicts. The issue isn't if you're going to have conflicts, it's how are you going to work them out?
Can I give you a couple of suggestions on how to handle conflicts with other people?
1) Take your conflicts to Jesus. In other words pray about it. Pray that both sides will yield their rights to Jesus. We can have differing opinions about things but it is His opinion that ultimately matters. Submit yourself to Jesus and let Him wash away your divisions and arguments with His love. See James 4:1-7 for further insight.
2) Agree to agree with Jesus. If someone comes to your mind with whom you need to work out a difference don't try to get them to agree with you, you agree with what God tells you to do about the difference between you them. You are called to love them and pray for them that God will open their hearts to wisdom and understanding about the conflict.
The Bible doesn't tell us "one anothers" to just get along with one another. The apostle Paul calls us to a higher standard than just getting along. He tells us in Philippians 2:1-2 to have the same mind, the same love, and to be one in spirit and purpose. Your life's testimony is validated by how well you get along with other people at work, church, school, and first and foremost those people in your own house.
Love really doesn't look like love when it's accompanied by arguments, fighting, and ongoing disputes. Now, we all know that anytime you put people together there are going to be conflicts. I've been married 38 years this summer to Dianne and even though we vowed "till death do us part," we have had conflicts. The issue isn't if you're going to have conflicts, it's how are you going to work them out?
Can I give you a couple of suggestions on how to handle conflicts with other people?
1) Take your conflicts to Jesus. In other words pray about it. Pray that both sides will yield their rights to Jesus. We can have differing opinions about things but it is His opinion that ultimately matters. Submit yourself to Jesus and let Him wash away your divisions and arguments with His love. See James 4:1-7 for further insight.
2) Agree to agree with Jesus. If someone comes to your mind with whom you need to work out a difference don't try to get them to agree with you, you agree with what God tells you to do about the difference between you them. You are called to love them and pray for them that God will open their hearts to wisdom and understanding about the conflict.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Thanks Dad
I don't know how you're going to celebrate your father this week but since I've been thinking about my dad quite a bit lately I decided I wanted to just pause and say thanks to him and brag on him. My dad was born in 1926, a product of The Great Depression. His father, my grandpa, was a muleskinner in eastern Oklahoma while he and his brother, Jim, were growing up. My dad only went to school through the 8th grade around Hugo, Oklahoma, but he's one of the smartest, wisest men I know. There aren't many things my dad can't fix.
Anyway, he grew up dirt poor and he would tell you one of the best decisions he ever made was to join the Army, where he served one tour during the Korean War. Following his hitch in the service he met and married my mom, she being 16 at the time and he was 21. That means this year they've been married 60 years. My dad worked 38 years in the oilfield for the same company and retired when he was 62. He and my mom have lived in the same house since 1962, and attended the same church for over 50 years. Amazingly enough in todays fast changing, microwave world and unlike most people I meet they are the most content people I know. My dad worked hard all those years, supported his family of 3 kids and a stay at home wife and still saved enough money on a pumpers salary to live very comfortably and debt free.
The things I admire most about my dad are his steadfastness, his loyalty, and his contentment. I can only pray I have half of those qualities myself so that my daughter and my granddaughter can say the same about me.
Find something you can brag on your dad about this Father's Day, 2008, and tell him or write it down for him to read. It will be the best gift he receives this year.
Anyway, he grew up dirt poor and he would tell you one of the best decisions he ever made was to join the Army, where he served one tour during the Korean War. Following his hitch in the service he met and married my mom, she being 16 at the time and he was 21. That means this year they've been married 60 years. My dad worked 38 years in the oilfield for the same company and retired when he was 62. He and my mom have lived in the same house since 1962, and attended the same church for over 50 years. Amazingly enough in todays fast changing, microwave world and unlike most people I meet they are the most content people I know. My dad worked hard all those years, supported his family of 3 kids and a stay at home wife and still saved enough money on a pumpers salary to live very comfortably and debt free.
The things I admire most about my dad are his steadfastness, his loyalty, and his contentment. I can only pray I have half of those qualities myself so that my daughter and my granddaughter can say the same about me.
Find something you can brag on your dad about this Father's Day, 2008, and tell him or write it down for him to read. It will be the best gift he receives this year.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Are You Connected?
No matter if you're a mid-life single, an empty nester, a college student, or a Senior citizen living alone, all Americans have a shrinking circle of close friends as opposed to a generation ago. The challenges to connectedness are many: TV, computers, video games, ipods, text messaging, cell phones, email, face book, all play a part in not having to interact face-to-face with other human beings.
Sociologists say we may be losing the ability to build relationships and have a close circle of intimate friends. God made us to connect with one another relationally. It's called the art of connecting or fellowship. One of the benefits of fellowship is it helps us to develop a healthy self-esteem. Another is it helps us battle loneliness. No one I've ever known likes to be lonely.
From the very beginning God said it was not good for man to be alone, so He created Eve so that
Adam would not be alone. Ephesians 2:19(LB) says, "You are members of God's very own family, citizens of God's country, and you belong in God's household with every other Christian."
My hope is that if you are feeling lonely or disconnected you will find a place where you belong.
No matter if you're a mid-life single, an empty nester, a college student, or a Senior citizen living alone, all Americans have a shrinking circle of close friends as opposed to a generation ago. The challenges to connectedness are many: TV, computers, video games, ipods, text messaging, cell phones, email, face book, all play a part in not having to interact face-to-face with other human beings.
Sociologists say we may be losing the ability to build relationships and have a close circle of intimate friends. God made us to connect with one another relationally. It's called the art of connecting or fellowship. One of the benefits of fellowship is it helps us to develop a healthy self-esteem. Another is it helps us battle loneliness. No one I've ever known likes to be lonely.
From the very beginning God said it was not good for man to be alone, so He created Eve so that
Adam would not be alone. Ephesians 2:19(LB) says, "You are members of God's very own family, citizens of God's country, and you belong in God's household with every other Christian."
My hope is that if you are feeling lonely or disconnected you will find a place where you belong.
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