Interacting with Other People – Part 5
Categories: Bulletin Articles Tags: Interacting with Other People
When we do not listen to people and get to know them as they are, this creates barriers in relationships. Barriers happen when inauthentic and selfish behavior dominates the relationship. This creates a situation where one cannot get to know another because he cannot get past the protective shell of the ego. That shell may be many things, but it prevents authentic relationships.
Sometimes that shell is composed of fear. One’s fears will limit one’s relationship with other people because they will not permit personal knowledge to be shared. Some use knowledge to control or manipulate. This taking advantage hurts others. So, people close themselves up to prevent being personally mistreated. God does not want fear to dominate our relationships. “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18). Getting beyond our fears to have authentic relationships with others means loving others. This love will spur us to let go of those fears so that we can know others. God did not let our mistreatment of Him prevent Him from loving us. We need to have that same attitude.
Learning to talk to the people who hurt you is hard. Sometimes, these are the people that are most involved in our lives. However, they need to hear from us, and we need to hear from them to effect positive changes. This happens through our personally confessing our true thoughts and feelings, not in a way that produces anxiety, intimidation, control, or deceit, but in a way that is honest, helpful, and good for others. It means facing reality as it really is and not trying to cover it up.
God bless you, and I love you.
Kevin Cauley