The 7 Habits for Highly Effective Relationships
Two Kinds of Wisdom
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
Tommy's Thoughts:
Every action and decision we made everyday has eternal consequences. When we are faced with decisions, we need to first check our source of wisdom. Is it the wisdom from below (devil/world) or the wisdom from above (God)?
There are many times that I have acted selfishly in things without even knowing it until it’s too late. Little did I know I was basing my motive and wisdom from below; resulting in foolishness, pride, envy, self-seeking and evil. As I come before God, the Spirit nudges me to realize how ‘fatal’ this attitude is in affecting my life and to those who are close to me.
But, thank you Lord for answering my prayer when I needed Your wisdoms so badly. Few ‘wisdoms’ I have learnt from You so far:
- I know now without a trust-love relationship with You, I will never be successful in any relationship with others. It is only through this right relationship and the complete trust in You, that I can relate to others in a healthy way.
- The importance to acknowledge the truth about my earthly attitude and motivation and to turn away from them with Your help.
- To focus on how to love others rather than on how they should love me.
- To know that I’m responsible for my own happiness and not to blame others for my life or use their treatment on me as an excuse.
- To practice the 7 qualities in James 3:17 in all my relationships.
The 7 Habits for Highly Effective Relationships (James 3:17)
- Pure – no selfish, wrongful desires or hidden agendas in our every words and actions.
- Peace-loving – seek peace above everything whenever conflict arise with others; learn to listen; avoid argument.
- Considerate – gentle; showing true patient and unruffled self-control and restraint; slow to express resentment.
- Submissive – sensible, reasonable and able to defer; avoid stubbornly insisting on our own way.
- Full of mercy and good fruit – kindness, compassion for those who are suffering through comforting words and actions.
- Impartial – treating everyone equal without showing favor to some while ignoring others or mistreating them.
- Sincere – straightforward, act openly and honestly; not double-minded or full of pretense and hidden agendas.
.......the devotion of Tommy
