Building a Better Relationship #2

CGM 06/03/09

1 Cor 13: 4
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up.

This verse shows love in action where love looks for a way to be constructive, i.e. to build somebody else's life.

How to be a people-builder, then?

Romans 15: 2
Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.

Here, the verse says that we are to edify our neighbor, i.e. to build them up.

1. We can build a person by giving him/ her a personal challenge
Eph 4: 1
I. therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.
We want others to have a purpose in their lives, a vision.
How do we know what God wants us to do?
It is by looking at our abilities/ strengths!

2. We can build a person by giving him/ her a complete confidence
It can be done by showering them with genuine compliments and words of affirmation.
Don't tell them what they are but what they could be!
2 Thes 5: 11
Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
Remember: a. We need to be real
b. We need to do it regularly
c. It needs to be recognizable (be specific!)

3. We can build a person by giving him/ her honest counsel (opinion)
There's no progress without learning, there's no learning without feedback
Prov 27: 17
As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
Prov 24: 26
He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.
With truth (correction), we can build a better friendship. However, our attitude in correcting him/ her is very important! Are we condemning or correcting them?
Eph 4: 15
but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ -

4. We can build a person by giving him/ her a full credit
Praise somebody when it is due!
Accepting the blame, sharing the credits need unselfishness of ourselves.

Now, how do you rate yourself? Are you yet to be a people-builder or a people-destroyer?