Your relationships indicate how healthy your heart is. It’s where the rubber meets the road. Think about the condition of the relationships you are in and ask yourself, “Are they healthy?”
Your friendships, are they healthy? Your relationship with your family, are they healthy? Your marriage, is that healthy? Your work, church or community, are those relationships healthy? Chances are, if those relationships are struggling, it’s because of something in your heart.
Scripture explains how Jesus lived. Let’s read how He treated others. 5-8 Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion. MSG Philippians 2:5-8
After you read that, who would like to be in a friendship with someone like that? Who would like to be in a married to a man or woman like that? Who would like to go to school or work with people like that? Why? Because Jesus was humble. He lived in a way that said, “I am willing to give up my rights and comfort to serve you.” Being humble is the core of having the Mind of Christ. It’s the core of every great relationship. The opposite is true too, when humility is missing, it’s the reason your relationship are struggling.
Three things that clarify what it means to be humble. First, being humble doesn’t mean you put yourself down. It means you are good at building others up. Second, being humble doesn’t mean you are a weak pushover, it means you have the strength to absorb hurt and give back love. Lastly, being humble doesn’t mean you have no value, it means you are good at seeing the value in others.
Humility in the heart comes out into your relationships. However, there are four things according to Philippians 2 that will ruin your holiness and will lead to ruining your relationships.
Vs 3: Don’t do anything from selfish ambition. GNT Philippians 2:3 What is that? When you ask, “What’s in it for me?” You know the right thing to do but you don’t do it because you might not get what you want. That’s selfish ambition. Do you live like this? Selfish ambition will ruin your heart and it will ruin your relationships.
Vs 3: Don’t do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast. GNT Philippians 2:3 What is that? When you think, “Will this make me look good?” You do what you do to make yourself look good. You might do the right thing but for the wrong reason and that is being a hypocrite. You have to push your way in every relationship and organization to get what you want so you can have power or a title or control. The cheap desire to boast will ruin your heart and it will ruin your relationships.
Vs 14: Do everything without complaining. GNT Philippians 2:14 What is that? When you are disappointed with think, “I deserve better than this!” You struggle to be content. You think others have it better. You think you are the victim. All of this leads to you complaining. Complaining will ruin your heart and it will ruin your relationships.
Vs 14: Do everything without complaining or arguing. GNT Philippians 2:14 What is that? When you think, “I’m going to do life my way even if I am wrong.” This comes from a prideful, stubborn, inflexible heart. You argue with everyone because you must, you must do life your way. Arguing will ruin your heart and it will ruin your relationships.
What do you do to get rid of these things that damage your heart and ruin your relationships? Simple, be like Christ. In all relationships, be humble like Christ and think. Enter your relationship with this agenda, “I will give up my rights and comfort to serve you.”