Jesus’ Guide to Escaping Relational Confusion—
1. Our Heavenly Father in Our Life
Matthew 7:7 NIV
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
James 1:5 NIV
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
James 3:13-18 NIV
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, willing to yield to others, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
“Humans need a village more than anything else. When that village disappears, we try to buy it back.” –Trevor Noah
“Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future” –Jeanne Mayo
Prayer must be our primary , not the last .
Question for Reflection:
What relational challenge am I currently facing, and how can I specifically ask God for the gift of grace and wisdom to navigate it?
2. Trust Our Loving Father’s
Matthew 7:8-11 NIV
For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
The emphasis is not on the skill or even persistence of the seeker in prayer, but on the character of kindness of the heavenly Father. –Jonathan Pennington, The Sermon on the Mount and Human Flourishing
A correct vision of God and ourselves should lead to a completely different way of engagement. That is why Jesus invites us to simply ask Him. Unlike other religious traditions, Jesus bestows on us the dignity of children rather than the humiliation of slaves. –Skye Jethani, What if Jesus was Serious?
Trusting with our desire for .
3. Practice , , and
Matthew 7:12 NIV
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Micah 6:8 NIV
And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
“The Golden Rule Before Christ”
“Do not impose on others what you do not wish for yourself.” – Confucius, 500 BC
“This is the sum of duty: do not do to others what would cause pain if done to you.” – Mahabharata, 200 BC:
“Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.” – Udanavarga, 100 BC
“What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. That is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation of this—go and study it!” – Elder Hillel 50 BC
We must be willing to listen to ourselves first… So when we see someone else in need, we have to ask ourselves “What would I want? How would I want to be treated?” Maybe the bracelet can be WWIW: “What would I want?” –Scot McKnight, Sermon on the Mount (SGBC)
Question for Reflection:
How is the Spirit leading me to do something for someone in the way I’d want to be treated in their situation?
Answer Key: include, relational; source, resort; care; conflicts, control; empathy, awareness, compassion