Inter-personal part 3
How we relate to each other is so important. Because we're all in this together. We can't do it by ourselves. No man is an island. It is not good that man should be alone. We need each other. So we need to be able to build those relationships. Look at 1 Corinthians 3:11, "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." Or, in the Message Bible, "Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ." The only foundation we can build these inter-personal relationships on... is Jesus. Now, that doesn't mean shove Jesus down everybody's throat and try to force them to believe exactly the same thing you do and call that "fellowship." It means the only foundation that you can build on... is love. Some of the best conversations I've ever had about God didn't even have the word "God" in them. You don't have to be "religious" in order to be holy. In fact, at this point I think the one almost crosses out the other. Jesus didn't really get along with the religious folk, right? Because He was all about love and they were focused on everything and anything else. The people Jesus was really able to get along with were the people who knew they couldn't do it by themselves. People who knew they needed help. Kind of the whole idea of His strength being made perfect in our weakness. I believe God will let you do what you're of a mind to do. I believe God is too much of a gentleman to force His will upon you. Sometimes you get called, and, yes, sometimes you get cornered. Sometimes God can be very persuasive. But I believe, at the end of the day, you're allowed to do what you want to do. That doesn't mean you SHOULD do whatever you want to do. Simply that you CAN. There IS a more excellent way. And that is the Way, the Truth, and the Life that is Jesus--that is love. No other foundation can any man lay. Because no other foundation will withstand the ups and downs that come with relationships between people. People are messy. People are unpredictable. People do things that THEY don't even understand. If you don't have grace, and forgiveness, and mercy... LOVE... then there's virtually no chance that you'll be able to relate to anybody for any extended period of time. If you just clip people like coupons every time they don't fit into your box... you'll find yourself all alone. It's all about love, guys. I keep saying it, and I'm going to keep saying it. Love is the glue that binds us together. And, listen, I'm not saying that you're going to be best friends with everybody. Some people won't pick up what you're laying down. They just won't. No matter what you do or how hard you try. And that's when you simply shrug your shoulders and move on. Turning the other cheek isn't about standing there and letting someone slap you over and over. It's about not retaliating. It's about letting people be who they are and do what they do. You don't have to accept everything in the world... but you CAN love everyone in the world. Even if that means loving them from a distance. Relationships come in all shapes and sizes. But all of the successful ones are built on love!