Tuesday, November 22, 2011

3 things to avoid to get along with others…

let me ask you a question from james 3.13 (msg), do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? then, here’s what you do. that is what we are looking at here on the porch.

verse 17 says, (msg), real wisdom, GOD’s wisdom…is characterized by getting along with others.  i’m not real wise if i don’t get along with people. 

do you have a tendency to not get along with people, to antagonize them to the point of anger?  if you do then you are not wise.  there are some people who are always looking for a fight; they are constantly arguing with people.  is that you?

i heard of this guy who was so argumentative that he would only eat food that disagreed with him.  have you met someone like that? 

proverbs 20.3 (gnt), any fool can start arguments; the wise thing is to stay out of them. good idea.

so what do you think causes arguments?  if you are wise you’ll know so you can avoid them.

one is comparing.  you say things like, “you’re just like…” or “ why can’t you be like…”, “when i was your age…”  “my first husband-wife…”  2 corinthians 10.12 (cev) says, they are foolish to compare themselves.

also avoid condemning.  “it’s all your fault.”  “you should be ashamed.”   just lay on that guilt.  “you always.”  “you never,”  “you ought to,”  “you should…, “  “you shouldn’t,” 

someone said, “you can bury your marriage with a lot of little digs.”

and then 3. avoid contradicting.  “no, that’s not right” “it wasn’t black it was white.”  do you like to be interrupted in the middle of a sentence?   it’s irritating isn’t it?  

williams james says, “the secret of wisdom is knowing what to overlook.”  some things are just not worth the fight.  wisdom gets along.

just a thought from the front porch…

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