THE 7 BIBLICAL KEYS TO MAINTAINING
STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE
Communication:
Proverbs 12:15 (MSG) “Fools
are headstrong and do what they like;
wise people take advice.”
wise people take advice.”
18:35 (CJB) “To answer someone before
hearing him out
is both stupid and embarrassing.”
is both stupid and embarrassing.”
Ephesians 4:29 (AMP) “Let no foul or
polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or
worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good
and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the
need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace
(God’s favor) to those who hear it.”
Conflict Resolutions:
Proverbs 27:5 (NCV) It is better to
correct someone openly
than to have love and not show it.
than to have love and not show it.
Matthew 18:15-17 (MSG) If a fellow
believer hurts you, go and tell him—work it out between the two of you. If he
listens, you’ve made a friend. If he won’t listen, take one or two others along
so that the presence of witnesses will keep things honest, and try again. If he
still won’t listen, tell the church. If he won’t listen to the church, you’ll
have to start over from scratch, confront him with the need for repentance, and
offer again God’s forgiving love.
Forgiveness:
Matthew 6:12-15 (NCV)
Forgive us for our sins, just as we have forgiven those who sinned against us. And do not cause us to be tempted, but save us
from the Evil One.’ [The kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours forever.
Amen.] Yes, if you forgive others for their sins, your Father in
heaven will also forgive you for your sins. But if you don’t forgive others,
your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins.
18:21-35 (ESV) 21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.[a] 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.[b] 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant[c] fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii,[d] and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers,[e] until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
Mark 11:25-26 (NCV) 5 When you are praying, if you are angry with someone, forgive him so that your Father in heaven will also forgive your sins. [ 26 But if you don’t forgive other people, then your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins.]
Luke 6:37 (NCV) Don’t judge others, and you will not be judged. Don’t accuse others of being guilty, and you will not be accused of being guilty. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
17:3-4 (NCV) 3 So be careful!
“If another follower sins, warn him, and if he is sorry and stops sinning, forgive him. 4 If he sins against you seven times in one day and says that he is sorry each time, forgive him.”
2 Corinthians 2:7-10 (TLB) 7 Now it is time to forgive him and comfort him. Otherwise he may become so bitter and discouraged that he won’t be able to recover. 8 Please show him now that you still do love him very much.
9 I wrote to you as I did so that I could find out how far you would go in obeying me. 10 When you forgive anyone, I do too. And whatever I have forgiven (to the extent that this affected me too) has been by Christ’s authority, and for your good.
Humility:
Proverbs 11:2 (ESV) When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with the humble is wisdom.
18:12 (ESV) Before destruction a man's heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.
22:4 (ESV) The reward for humility and fear of the Lord
is riches and honor and life.
29:23 (ESV) One's pride will bring him low,
but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.
Matthew 20:26-27 (NCV) 26 But it should not be that way among you. Whoever wants to become great among you must serve the rest of you like a servant. 27 Whoever wants to become first among you must serve the rest of you like a slave.
Romans 12:3 (CJB) For I am telling every single one of you, through the grace that has been given to me, not to have exaggerated ideas about your own importance. Instead, develop a sober estimate of yourself based on the standard which God has given to each of you, namely, trust.
Ephesians 4:2 (EXB) Always be [or Be completely] humble, gentle, and patient, ·accepting [putting up/bearing with] each other in love.
Ephesians 5:21 (NLT) And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Philippians 2:1-11 (MSG) If you’ve
gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any
difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to
you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with
each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to
the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help
others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget
yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.
Think of
yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with
God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages
of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the
privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having
become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t
claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then
died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a
crucifixion.
Because of
that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or
anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those
long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call
out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the
Father.
Colossians
3:21 (AMP) Clothe yourselves therefore, as God’s
own chosen ones (His own picked representatives), [who are] purified and
holy and well-beloved [by God Himself, by putting on behavior marked by]
tenderhearted pity and mercy, kind feeling, a lowly opinion of yourselves,
gentle ways, [and] patience [which is tireless and long-suffering, and has the
power to endure whatever comes, with good temper].
Self-Denial:
Romans 15:1 (KJV) We then that are strong ought to bear the
infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
1 Corinthians 10:24 (ERV) Try to do what is good for others,
not just what is good for yourselves.
Philippians 2:4 (CJB) look out for each other’s interests
and not just for your own.
Trust:
Proverbs 12:17 (MSG) Truthful witness by a good person
clears the air,
but liars lay down a smoke screen of deceit.
but liars lay down a smoke screen of deceit.
Isaiah 33:15-16 (ERV) Good, honest people who refuse to hurt
others for money will live through
that fire. They refuse to take
bribes or listen to plans to murder other people. They refuse to look at plans
for doing bad things. They will live safely
in high places. They will be protected in high rock fortresses. They will
always have food and water.
Love:
Leviticus
19:18 (HCSB) Do not take revenge or bear a grudge
against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am
Yahweh.
Proverbs 10:12 (AMP) Hatred stirs up contentions, but love
covers all transgressions.
Proverbs 15:17 (TLB) It is better to eat soup with someone
you love than steak with someone you hate.
John 13:34-35 (TLB) “And
so I am giving a new commandment to you now—love each other just as much as I
love you. Your strong love for each other will prove to the world that
you are my disciples.”
Romans 12:9-10 (MSG) Love
from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil;
hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice
playing second fiddle.
Romans 13:8-10 (CJB) Don’t owe anyone anything — except to
love one another; for whoever loves his fellow human being has fulfilled Torah.
For the commandments, “Don’t commit adultery,” “Don’t murder,” “Don’t
steal,” “Don’t covet,” and any others are summed up in this one
rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does not do harm
to a neighbor; therefore love is the fullness of Torah.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (CJB) Love is patient and kind, not jealous, not boastful,
not proud, rude or selfish, not easily angered,
and it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not gloat over other people’s sins
but takes its delight in the truth.
Love always bears up, always trusts,
always hopes, always endures.
not proud, rude or selfish, not easily angered,
and it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not gloat over other people’s sins
but takes its delight in the truth.
Love always bears up, always trusts,
always hopes, always endures.
Galatians 5:13 (CEB) You were called to freedom, brothers
and sisters; only don’t let this freedom be an opportunity to indulge your
selfish impulses, but serve each other through love.
Ephesians 4:2 (HCSB) with all humility and gentleness, with
patience, accepting one another in love,
