Saturday, July 11, 2015

July 11, 2015

"(love) Is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not easily provoked, does not keep a record of wrongs." I Corinthians 13:5

The Christian faith is primarily about relationships. It requires a personal spiritual relationship with God through Christ by faith. And, it involves relationships with other people. All you need to do is look at the Ten Commandments and you realize the centrality of relationships. The first four commands have to do with God and the next six apply to relationships with others.

When Jesus reduced the Ten Commandments down to one it still centered on relationships, "Love God with all your being and love your neighbor as yourself."

Since our vision at FredWes is to love people to life we are dedicating the Summer to learn from Paul's detailed description of love to the Christians at Corinth in Chapter 13. Love is patient and love is kind but love is not rude.

You cannot act rudely and be successful in relationships so we have devoted the week to learning how to avoid being rude.Rude behavior is destructive to relationships at all levels.

If you want to avoid being rude seek ways to serve others rather than being self-seeking. When you feel yourself wanting or needing to be the center of attention look for a way to serve someone else.

Another way to avoid being rude is to value people and relationships highly. If developing and protecting relationships are a high priority for you, you will be more tolerant and less easily irritated by others. If small things provoke you then you will struggle in relationships.

A third issue in developing strong relationships is learning to get over things quickly. Forgive easily and keep short accounts. When you become vindictive you will struggle with relationships.

Healthy relationships are a key component to happiness. Rudeness will damage relationships and rob you of happiness.

Love is not rude.

Choose not to be rude.

Open your heart to the love of God. Get your relationship right with Him and ask Him to help you get over being self-seeking, irritable and vindictive.