From the Pastor’s Pen – By Brian Horrobin
Think for a moment of your relationship with the people at your place of work, or on your sports team, or even in your own family.
Would these people describe you as someone who was ‘relational?’
A relational person is one who gets along well with others, encouraging them to work together.
Respect is vital if this is to happen.
Human relations author, Les Giblin, once said, “You can’t make the other fellow feel important in your presence if you secretly feel that he is a nobody.”
Respect means we place value on other people.
Do you do that where you work, or on the team for which you play?
The apostle Paul put it this way in Philippians 2:3-4: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
In addition to respect we also need to be committed to spending time developing relationships with those around us.
There is a cost to this, for sure, but it is hard to be relational with someone whom you barely know.
Jesus took the time to sit and talk with His followers, as well as sharing meals and family celebrations.
Being relational will take work but its rewards are priceless.
Why not decide that you will start making some investments into your “relational account” this week as you go about your daily routine? A little can go along way when we think of others first.
