We’re called to steward our relationships.
Husbands, children, parents and siblings, friends…these are the most precious things God has given us. How can we best nurture and love these folks?
It’s way too easy to get caught up in the bustle of everyday life and lose sight of this important thing-our relationships with people God has placed in your life. There will be future blogs about how to be intentional in setting aside time for our people. This blog, however, is about what to focus on within these relationships. Let’s look at
Your obituary
Their heart
Who they were born to be
Look at Your Obituary
I know, this is a little morbid. But it’s worth doing as author Steven Covey advises: “Begin with the end in mind.” Or, look at the forest before you get lost in the trees. Imagine your obituary being written (way, way in the future) and what you want it to say—truthfully—about your relationship with your husband, with your children, with your family and friends. What do you want them to remember about you? That you were super busy or that you were there for them? That you obsessed about a clean house or that you were a fun mom? (These are mutually exclusive for limited energy people like myself.) That you listened and heard them or were disengaged? Begin right now to be what you want to be remembered as.
Look at Their Heart
Try to look and listen beyond what your people actually say and do to the deep down reasons they say and do what they say and do. In other words, always try to be discerning what their heart desires, what their heart believes, and what their heart intends. And then try your best to speak truth into these areas, and help them achieve their godly desires.
Look at Who They Were Born to Be
I believe this is the way God looks at us. Like when He looked at Gideon and saw a valiant warrior, He looks at you and me and sees the New Creation—who we are progressively becoming now and who we will be perfectly and completely one day. We should practice seeing our people through God’s eyes. Like Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:16:
“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view.”
What an opportunity to bless the lives of our people! What a privilege to steward precious relationships!
I confess I’m convicted even as I type this. And I appreciate me reminding myself NOT to take my people for granted.
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