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Invite Christ into Your Relationships

(Lead a life) worthy of the [divine] calling to which you have been called [with behavior that is a credit to the summons to God's service, living as becomes you] with complete lowliness of mind (humility) and meekness (unselfishness, gentleness, mildness), with patience, bearing with one another and making allowances because you love one another. —Ephesians 4:1-2

God loved us first, and we loved Him back. He reaffirms us concerning His love; and we start loving others, and eventually, the love becomes so intertwined in us that it no longer matters who was first to love the other. Ephesians 5:1 says, "Therefore be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]."

The book of Ephesians explains this lesson of love by saying that we are to be useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted, compassionate, and understanding with the other. In becoming like Christ, we will naturally turn our attention to the needs of others. Christ is the role model to whom we must adapt.

It is sometimes painful to work at relationships; but it is more painful to reap failure, dissension, and separation from those we love because we have simply neglected them and sown bad seed. So, to foster good relationships, we must first come into agreement with God by drawing near to Christ and becoming like Him. Once we invite Jesus into our relationships and do what He says to do, we become like Him in our thoughts and deeds; and consequently, we become loving like He is and we develop and maintain good relationships.

Remember, "There is [now no distinction] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28).

From the book New Day, New You by Joyce Meyer.