JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Key Element for Thriving Relationships is forgiveness.
First Corinthians 13:5 says that love keeps no record of wrongs. When we love someone, we are not interested in keeping a scorecard of all the wrong things they have done against us.
Constantly digging for dirt on someone’s record can bring back feelings of hurt and anger until it leads to bitterness and thoughts of revenge.
But there is another way forward that can lead to healing and sometimes, reconciliation. That way is forgiveness, which releases us from counting someone’s sins against them, and enables us to overcome evil with good.
By God’s grace, we can love those people in our lives who are less than perfect, without excusing or enabling their wrong behavior.
Colossians 3:13 says, “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
Forgiveness is a key element for thriving relationships that honor God.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – God’s people are called to live in community. The evidence of that can be found in the “One another” statements of the Bible. This week’s relationship-building principles have been taking a look at some of these “one another” statements to better understand how God wants us to relate with other members of God’s family.
First John 3:11 says, “This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.”
Love is at the heart of the “one another” commands in the Bible. These specific commands scattered throughout the New Testament include: “Encourage one another, serve one another, forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another, accept one another as Christ accepted you, spur one another on toward love and good deeds, honor one another above yourselves, live in harmony with one another, offer hospitality to one another without grumbling, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, instruct one another. Be kind and compassionate to one another.
These specific “one another” statements are useful to help us examine whether or not we are walking in love as God calls us to love.
Loving God’s family with a godly attitude is a vital relationship-building principles to take to heart in the Year of Connection.
