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How Do You Relate to others?

How do you relate to others? I was thinking about this word this week and looking into the etymology of this term, which looks like re-late, like, I’m late again, but it has a lot to do with how we communicate.

The word relate has the definition of relaying information to others, but in interpersonal relationships, it has to do with how we connect to others, and communication is a big part of how we relate to others.

This being the “love” month, I thought it would be neat to do a series this month on how we are to relate to one another according to Scripture. Certainly, if we relate as God instructs us to, our relationships will be more peaceful and joyful.

Relationships work so much better when two “whole” people are in a relationship. When we expect the other person to complete us, we place a lot of pressure on them, and how we relate to them might become toxic (that’s next week’s topic). Here are three ways Scripture tells us to relate to one another.

Relate with God in Mind

When we interact with others, we need to keep in mind that we are relating to someone who has been made in the image of God. How we treat them is how we treat God. “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'” (Matthew 25:40, NIV). Our goal in relating to others should be to encourage them, aware that God has called us to love one another. So even if someone has mistreated us, that does not give us a pass on how we are told to relate.

Relate with Others in Mind

Putting others first is the basis for a beautiful relationship. Scripture also commands us to do this in our relationships. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:3–5, NIV). This passage goes on to describe how Christ made Himself nothing in order to relate with us. He gave up everything just to have a relationship with us.

Relate with the Cross in Mind

In the past sometimes I viewed relationships as good when we have a lot in common. But Jesus pursued His enemies. Loving like Jesus entails sacrifice. It means showing up when it is not convenient and keeping our love on when people are being “prickly.”

Relationships can be fulfilling and such an encouragement, but they can also drain us if we don’t know how to relate to others. Next week we will look at how to deal with toxic behavior so we can prioritize the relationship over offenses.

Mindset Hack of the Week

What do you bring to the table in a relationship?

The mindset hack graphic this week is a reminder that we seek to serve others and put them first. Relating to others works best when we lay down our expectations and give 100%. If everyone did that, what a beautiful picture it would be of how Christ loved us.

Check out the Shame Rx Blog this week as we discuss how shame impacts our relationships.

All for Jesus,

Denise

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