The Value of Humility in our Relationships

No one ever modeled humility the way Jesus did. The Bible teaches that he left heaven, took on the form of a servant and willingly chose to die in the place of sinners. We often speak of Jesus’ love for us, but when that love is juxtaposed against our rejection of him, his humility comes into sharper focus. This is … Read More

The Value of Mercy in our Relationships

Mercy is one of those essential elements in relationships because sooner or later the other party will disappoint us. MERCY means to be gracious with others in their need and to be forgiving towards them when they’ve wronged us. Here are four qualities that mark the merciful person. Quality 1: The merciful person is less prone to anger. In most … Read More

3 Circles of Friendship: commitment, confirmation, and confrontation

Loyal friends are hard to find, but they are essential for the journey of life.In his book Quality Friendship, Gary Inrig writes, “The fact that our heroes of faith needed others underlines the inescapable need we all have to establish solid and satisfying friendships that not only meet our needs but equip us to meet the needs of others as … Read More

The Value of Sympathy in our Relationships

When I first entered the ministry, I had a limited understanding of others’ pain. Thirty years later that is not the case. I’ve wept at the graveside of parents who buried their children far too early. Sat next to the widow-to-be as she talked with the doctors about the final breaths her husband would take and looked into the husbands’ … Read More

Teachable and Transparent: two essentials for relational unity

We live in a world where unity is in short supply. In the past, we’ve wrongly assumed that a lack of conflict means unity exists.  But recent events have revealed that the conflicts were always there, simmering just below the surface. Genuine unity means to deliberately consider what the other person is thinking – seeking agreement. If you intend to … Read More