Quote from Forum Archives on November 30, 2000, 9:28 am

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

Many of us struggle with our relationships with other people.
Even the best relationships are occasionally strained by our
activities, but that is especially true when we emphasize our own
rights in a relationship. Too often we think about what we hope
to get from our spouse or our friend, what kind of response they
ought to have to us in a certain situation.

Well, this message is a caution to us if we ever take on that
kind of an attitude. Sure, it is great when our spouse or our
best friend feels the same way we do about something. It sure
makes life easier, doesn't it? But any of you who have been
around for any length of time, and are honest about the things
that happen realize that things are not always right, things are
definitely not always the way we might like them to be. Yet
things are OK. Since when do *I* have to have my way about
everything?

Well my friends, there was a time when I had a strong opinion
about everything. I suppose in one sense, I still do. But the
Spirit of God has taught me that my hope in life is not about
getting my way, my hope is in a God who deeply loves and cares
about me, a God who makes a decided difference in my attitudes
and actions, a God who forgives me when I fail, and a God who has
taken into account everything about me, and has made a provision
for all of it.

My friends, in the world around us, when people find out some
deep, dark secret about us, doesn't it often taint the entire
relationship we have with others? Yet God knows everything about
us, and loves us in spite of it all. That is more than enough
confirmation to me, and a personal motivation to respond to Him
in loving obedience. The nice thing about it all is that when I
am obedient to Him, I also gain a healthier perspective about my
relationship to others as well.

Dear Lord, remind me throughout the day to call upon You
continually, to place my complete trust and hope in You, rather
than on the people and things around me. When I do that, I trust
that You will provide me with Your perspective about people and
things, and the blessings of what You provide will be what I
appreciate. Thank You for my wife, my family, my friends, my
work, and the knowledge that You have provided each of these
things. Amen.

Brother Brian

Daily in Christ
RESPONSIBILITIES OVER RIGHTS

Galatians 5:13
You were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your
freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve
one another

Nothing will distort relationships faster than emphasizing our
rights over our responsibilities. For example, a husband may chip
at his wife because he feels he has a right to expect her to be
submissive. A wife may nag her husband because she expects him to
be the spiritual leader. Parents harass their children because
they feel it's their right to demand obedience. Members are
offended in the local church when they think their rights have
been violated by pastors, boards or other members.

Any time people insist on their rights at the expense of failing
to assume their responsibilities, they are going down to defeat.
For example, a pregnant woman may demand her right for an
abortion. She says it is her body and she can do whatever she
wants with it. Then she proceeds to demonstrate her irresponsible
use of her body to everyone! We don't have an abortion problem;
we have an irresponsible sex problem.

In God's system, our focus is to be fulfilling our
responsibilities, not insisting on our rights. Husband, having a
submissive wife is not your right; but being a loving, caring
husband is your responsibility. Headship is not a right to be
demanded but an awesome responsiblity to be fulfilled.

Similarly, wives, having a spiritual husband is not your right;
but being a submissive, supportive wife is your responsibility.
Parents, raising obedient children is not your right; but
disciplining your children in the nurture and instruction of the
Lord is your responsibility. Being a member of the Body of Christ
and of a local church is an incredible privilege, not a right.
This privilege comes with the awesome responsibility to behave as
God's children and become a lover of people. When we stand before
Christ, He will not ask us if we received everything we had
coming to us. But He will reward us for how well we fulfilled our
responsiblities.

Prayer:

Lord, help me relinquish my rights and focus on my
responsibilities in all my relationships today.

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=====
--
Brian Masinick, "The Mas", mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/
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