February 5, 2017
Characteristics of Solid Relationships
Respect
Ephesians 4:32
32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
John 15:12
12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
1 John 4:21
21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
Romans 12:10
10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Ephesians 5:25
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
Proverbs 22:6
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.
Ephesians 6:4
4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
So, throughout this series, we’re going to look at 4 Characteristics of Solid Relationships:
- Respect
- Love
- Selflessness
- Communication
And we'll look at how those impact:
- Friendships
- Professional Relationships
- Family Relationships
- Romantic Relationships
1. What is Respect?
What’s the big deal about respect?
Everyone wants it, even more, everyone feels entitled to it, so what is respect?
It’s very different than loving someone, or communicating with them, or even being selfless with them… It’s about recognizing the value they have and honoring them rightly because of their value. and that value comes from a few different places:
We have intrinsic value simply because we were made in the image of God:
Genesis 1:27
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
We also have to respect positional value and authority:
Romans 13:1
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.
We also give respect based on relational value that is given to someone because of the status of our relationship with them:
Ephesians 5:24-25
24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.
2. How Does God Show Us Respect?
God gives us free will.
Proverbs 16:9
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.
God actually respects us enough, that He gives us the option to choose how we want to live:
- He lets us accept Him or deny Him
- He lets us sin or live like him
- He lets us bless people or hurt people
Luke 9:1-2
When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
Exodus 33:13-14
13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” 14 The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
So what does that look like for us in every day life?
3a. Friendships
Being a friend to someone is not a transaction of spending time with someone, in order to gain fun or get your needs met. A friendship is a mutually beneficial relationship where you choose to live life with someone… 1-way friendships just don’t work. Respecting your friends is understanding the value those people have and honoring them for the place they hold in your life.
3b. Professional Relationships
Your bosses and professors are your authority and deserve respect based just on that, and your coworkers and other students also deserve respect.
3c. Family Relationships
Colossians 3:20-21
20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
What we’re really looking at here, is a level of mutual respect. Kids respect their parents because they are an authority in their lives and they have much more wisdom and knowledge than kids. But also parents should respect their kids as humans that are able to make their own choices, whether good or bad.
When a family relationship is based on mutual respect based on roles and obedience to God, you are able to discipline instead of punish, and selflessly follow instead of respond out of fear.
3d. Romantic Relationships
Setting a baseline of respect in a marriage or dating relationship is one of the hardest things to do, but also by far the most vital.
Colossians 3:18-19
18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
If you don’t have a baseline of mutual respect in your relationship the balance between submission and leadership in a relationship will not work out in a healthy way.
Romantic relationships have to have a level of respect in order to survive.
Communication Card
1. I will work to respect everyone based solely on how God made them, even when they make me angry.
2. I will work to create a baseline of respect in my marriage or dating relationship.
3. I will respect people in my life as a testament to who God has created me to be.
