Facing difficult relationships?Do what Jesus Did!
Are you looking for Christian relationship help? Do you wonder what Jesus would do in your difficult relationship? There is a good chance that you have some misconceptions about what Jesus would do. Many Christians have a picture of Jesus as a passive weakling who allowed himself to be abused and mistreated at the whim of sinful men, laying down His rights, and not standing up to evil. This is far from the truth. Look at these truths about Jesus’ interactions in the relationships He had while on Earth:
Jesus took care of His physical and spiritual needs. He didn’t feel compelled to fix everyone at the expense of taking care of His own needs (Matthew 14:13, 23).
Jesus withdrew when men were trying to hurt Him. He only allowed them to kill Him when it was God’s appointed time; before that He protected himself (Matthew 12:14-15).
Jesus disobeyed authority to obey God (Luke 2:41-52).
Jesus confronted the man that slapped Him (John 18:22-23).
Jesus was incredibly confrontational and truthful in his remarks. He didn’t mince words. Jesus called evil for what it was and took a stand against it (Matthew 23:1-33).
Jesus knew people were trying to manipulate Him and he didn’t allow it to work. Jesus dealt with people by knowing who He was dealing with and not allowing himself to be conned by them. (John 2:24-25).
Jesus knew who He was and stayed firm in His purpose (John 17:4).
Jesus didn’t let fear of people control His actions (Matthew 10:26-28).
Jesus was flexible and wasn’t rule-based. He put the needs of people first (Matthew 12:1-8).
Do any of these truths surprise you? There is no question that Jesus had strong boundaries in relationships, he knew how to take care of himself, exercised detachment, and was in control of himself at all times. What would Jesus do in your difficult relationship? He would do the same thing He did in His relationships., so if you are facing difficult relationships, do what Jesus did, take a strong stand in your relationships realizing that your needs and wants matter too and when in doubt as to what to do when you face difficult relationships, simply do what Jesus did!