People

I don't think anyone fully grasps the joy that I have when talking, interacting and loving people. Sometimes, I don't even understand it until after it's happened. This week I have had such great moving conversations with friends. Just last night I was able to talk with a friend on the phone who recently moved back home after being in Arizona. It was a conversation filled with laughter, catching up and Jesus.

When Jesus was talking about the greatest commandment, he said to love God and love others. Obviously, I'm paraphrasing. Still though, we are called to love others. Love others in a way that is not our own. Cause honestly, people are hard. Relationship is hard. It takes work, support, love, patience.

Just the other day I was reading a blog by a pastor and he was talking about being in relationship. He went over different points that he thought were important to have in any type of relationship. Here is what he said:

1. Begin with the guy in the mirror. (Matthew 22:39 – love your neighbour as yourself). We can only love others to the degree that we love ourselves, and we only love ourselves to the degree that we know the love of God.
2. Be a faithful friend. (Prov. 17:17 – a friend loves at all times). We need to love our friends even when they are being unlovable, for it is then that they need our friendship the most.
3. Speak only encouraging words to everyone. (Prov. 18:21 “the power of death and life are in the tongue” & Eph. 4:29). You’ve heard the rhyme, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me." That’s not true. Words can wound greater than sticks and stones!
4. Be friendly to everyone you meet. (Prov. 18:24 – he who has friends must be friendly). If you have a real negative, grouchy attitude all the time, you will have a hard time making friends!
5. Practice love everyday. (READ 1 Cor. 13:4-8a). Don’t just say, "I love you." Love is patient, love is kind, love believes the best, etc.
6. Help people in trouble all the time. (Gal. 6:2 – God wants us to share each others troubles & problems).
7. Pray for one another daily. (James 5:16 – pray for one another). Never pass up an opportunity to pray with someone.
8. Pursue peace with all men. (Rom. 12:18 – as much as possible). This is not easy, but this is very important.
9. Know how to deal with offenses. (Matt. 18:15 - if someone offends you, go and talk to them about it, don’t go and talk to others about it). Jesus said, “Offenses will come,” but its how we deal with it that makes the difference.
10. Forgive one another. (Eph. 4:32 - forgive each other as Christ forgave us). In any relationship, you will have to choose to forgive the other person when they hurt or offend you.


I read these and I really liked the way he put it into words. These are things that can make you a better friend to people. He puts it in a bit nicer sounding words than I would I think. :) But all of these things ring true.

If you've read my blogs recently you've seen how much of a mind battle I've been haivng, and especially while interacting with people, Satan tries his hardest to tear me down. But in those moments when I'm sitting in my car by myself, I just get to commune with God. I find myself praying, constantly...for others. When there is one specific person on my mind I just get to talk to God about them. I don't always know if it's doing anything, but I'd rather pray than just let it sit on my mind. Our minds are vulnerable things. If you've been thinking, stressing, worrying, whatever...I really encourage you to just pray. Take your mind off of what is happening, because the reality is that God has control. He's always got your best interest in mind. He knows exactly what he's doing and it's going to be better than you EVER imagined. I'm being for serious right now. Trust him. And pray :) Lots and lots of prayer.