17 Mar Let Me Out of the Box by Kathy Cobb
One of the most wonderful expressions of friendship we can offer an individual is to serve that person in love with no strings attached. Understanding and applying the principle of loving others as you love yourself allows all parties to enjoy relationships rooted in freedom and mutual respect.
The question is do you treat others the way you wanted to be treated? How we treat others is often a true reflection of how we see ourselves. If we are critical of others, most likely we are critical of ourselves. If we demand perfection of others, we usually are harder on ourselves. Many individuals live by certain rules and expect others to live by their standards. The crazy thing I notice is so many times we expect more from others than we are willing to do ourselves. When we act like this, we are placing people in a box which does not give them the freedom to grow or allow them to hear from God concerning their lives.
Every one of us has been involved in friendships or a relationship that has expected way too much from us and, if we are honest with ourselves, we have put the same stress on others. False or unattainable expectations can lead to disappointments for both parties and, in the long run, can ruin a friendship or relationship that could have been rewarding and life giving.
My Deepest Friendship is with my Husband
I remember years ago, I had a deep desire for my husband to pray with me every day. I would ask on a daily basis if he would pray with me. Without realizing it, I was putting so much pressure on him that it actually stifled his desire to pray. One day, while on vacation, the subject came up again and my darling husband told me he felt he could not live up to my expectation of how he should pray. I was horrified! The person who I loved and respected the most felt trapped in a box!
That evening when I was talking to God, I heard these words if you would stop talking to Gordon about prayer he would be able to hear me! Wow – lesson learned! I needed to get out of the way and let God do the talking! All of a sudden love, faith and friendship had a deeper meaning. God needed to remind me to treat others the way I wanted to be treated with respect and love. When I thought about it, I probably would have responded the same way my husband did. He deserved the freedom to choose and I needed to respect his choice.
One of my favorite authors is Paul of Tarsus. He was a man who understood this principle because he used to be a man who had high expectations for others to live by. After an encounter with God, his heart was changed and he lived his life helping others connect with God and enjoy the true meaning of faith and friendship expressed in love. In one of his books, Galatians, he summed it up well by saying that through God’s love we have been given keys/gifts to live life with freedom. A freedom that allows us to love ourselves in Christ and to extend Christ’s love to others in our own imperfection. Learning to be a good friend to others in love is the ultimate expression of Christ’s love. Through our relationship with God, we learn to be patient and let God work in the lives of others.
What is so amazing about learning to treat others with love and respect is it allows you the opportunity to live out of the box, with no strings attached, as you enjoy the benefits of amazing friendships rooted in freedom and mutual respect!
Kathy Cobb / www.kathycobb.info is the founder of Gabbin’ With The Girls – Connecting Today’s 21st Century Women.
GWG is a global organization that believes that life is not only about achieving goals, it is about developing friendships that inspire, empower and encourage women to “Rise Up” to reach their full potential.
Kathy is passionate about connecting women to their divine design and the gift of friendship through teaching, public speaking and mentoring.
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GWG-Gabbin’ With The Girls
Empowering Women Into Greatness
Through Inspiration and Encouragement
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