LOVE'S BY-PRODUCT

"Humility is not a character trait to develop, it's the natural by-product of being with Jesus." - Louie Giglio

Proverbs 27:17 (BBE)
Iron makes iron sharp; so a man makes sharp his friend.

Has the power of influence ever dawned on you? Have you ever appreciated the role of association? Let's take a few examples. How did you get to start speaking the language you learnt to speak as a child? How did you learn to identify colours? When you see the colour red, why don't you call it blue and call yellow purple? When you really think about it, you find out that we've picked up more things from our environment than we realise. I grew up to speak the language I heard my family and the people around me speak. I didn't fight with it as I grew. As a matter of fact, I had no idea there were other languages. The normal thing was too speak what they spoke and I blended in. We all did. No child selects what language it wants to speak. It adopts the language of the environment it grows in. It's the same with colours. We are taught that such and such colours have such and such names. We don't invent our own names for those colours. If we did, no one would have a clue what we mean when we say the names we've invented. The point I'm making is that from childhood we've been adjusting to, adapting to and conforming to many a mould our environments set for us.

Today's post underscores the place of rub-offs, especially as it affects the strength and quality of a relationship. Basically, I'm saying that we all need to allow Jesus rub off on us. What a blessing it will be when your wife, husband, fiance or fiancée is a replica of Jesus. Trust me, there's nothing better you want in a relationship than this. It's cool that they're like Jesus but how about when you also are like Jesus? This is how you want to be in your relationship. That's when you feel fulfilled as touching your contribution in that relationship. Truth is, when we associate with Jesus we learn how to treat our partner better. The reason is because associating with Jesus makes us better ourselves. Simply because we're changed, our attitudes to others are changed as well. By allowing Jesus rub off on us, we're upgrading our relationships. When I speak of associating with Jesus, what I mean is taking Him as a dear friend and a role model, someone with whom you spend quality time. Your partner/spouse will appreciate the difference this makes in your life because it will greatly improve the way you treat them, love them, serve them, honour them, sacrifice for them and care for them.

We see in the Bible that the disciples of Jesus were one time so bold in their expression that the people wondered where their boldness came from, and then it dawned on those who wondered that the disciples had been with the resurrected Christ. The Jewish leaders of the day in an attempt to prevent people from believing in Jesus, began to spread the propaganda that Jesus actually didn't rise from death and stuff. However, when they met his disciples and heard them speak very boldly about Jesus, it dawned on them that their propaganda was being threatened; they didn't need anyone to tell them that the risen Jesus had already appeared to His disciples. We all need more confidence even in our relationships. True confidence comes from our heart-to-heart interaction with the Son of God. Revelations of Jesus boost your self esteem. I encourage you to invest more into your own personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Read the gospels and meditate on His wonderful personality. Take tours in the New Testament and see the Son of God everywhere. The by-product of doing this will be God impacting you and your relationship/marriage with His virtues.

Keep Loving, Keep Living...............LOVE ISSUES
@Bibilovejunkie