Quotes about Relationships

God designed us to live in community, first with him and then with one another.

Without knowing it, we put our identity and inner peace in the hands of the people around us. We look to them for what no flawed human being will ever be able to deliver. We ride the roller coaster of their views of us. We begin to do things not because they are right, but because we know they will please those whose opinion of us and acceptance of us mean more than they should.

The appropriateness of my responses to others is directly related to the accuracy of my view of myself, and for that there is grace too.

The desire for the love of another person is not wrong, but it must not rule your heart.

The call is to do theology in loving community with other people. Truth not spoken in love ceases to be true because it's bent and twisted by other human agendas.

Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. (James 1:19)

Theology without love is simply very bad theology.

How often do you see people as obstacles to ministry rather than the objects of it?

You can't keep the second Great Commandment unless you are first keeping the first. Only in bowing before God and submitting to his desires can we really turn to one another in peace and love. Any agenda for change that forgets this vertical causality will prove temporary and cosmetic.

We complain so much not because we have horizontal problems but because we have a vertical problem.

And not only does he live inside of you, he rules all the situations, locations, and relationships that are out of your control. He is not only your indwelling Savior, he is your reigning King. He does in you what you could not do for yourself and he does outside of you what you have no power or authority to do. And he does all of this with your redemptive good in mind. Since this is true, why would you give way to fear?

They were convinced that they had made the mistake of marrying a messed-up person; they were convinced that the other had made them do things they would not otherwise have done; and they were convinced that they had no power to make the other change, although they had tried.