“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” — Colossians 3:12-14, NIV
Not all relationships muddle our priorities; in fact, many relationships can also push us to grow deeper in our faith. We may have a friend, family member or significant other who encourages us when we are struggling and loves us like Jesus. These people are a blessing and can make a difference in our lives. As Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”
How can we build Christ-centered relationships? Well, we must first evaluate ourselves. Are we focused on Christ and striving to follow him? Are we loving and caring for others the way the Bible tells us to? If not, we can pray to develop these qualities and practice being more Christlike.
Developing Christ-centered relationships also requires us to surround ourselves with those who are striving to do the same. However, we do need to keep in mind that the Bible tells us to treat those with love who do not have the same ideals or who may step on our nerves. Relationships of all kinds take effort and love on our part. If we are struggling with this, there is no better place to turn to than the Bible, which offers wisdom on how to treat others.