BE CONSIDERATE
Let each of you look out not only for
his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
Philippians 2:4
The
second principle for connecting with people is to be considerate 1 of other
people's needs. In other words, if you want to connect with people, you've got
to start with their needs, not your own. That's how you make that initial
connection. There's an old Chinese proverb that says, “Seek to understand
before seeking to be understood"
The
Bible talks about this in Philippians
2:4: "Look out for one another's interests not just your own."
That is such a counter-cultural verse. Everything in our culture - from the
moment we're born - tends to train us to think 'me first.' As a result, we're
all disconnected because we're all thinking about ourselves and not thinking
about the needs of other people.
Yet,
one thing we all need to always keep in mind is, “It's not about me!" The
world doesn't revolve around you just as it doesn't revolve around me. You're
very special in God's eyes. You were created for a purpose. But the world does
not revolve around you.
Here's
another truth - If you want your needs to be met, first start focusing on
meeting the needs of other people. Why? Because God wants you to learn to be
unselfish. He wants you to learn to love, to be generous like Him.
Part
of being considerate of other people's needs is making allowances for their
faults. Colossians 3:13 says,
“Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint
against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do." Proverbs
says, “Love forgets mistakes." It's not that you are blind to someone else's
faults; rather, you choose to overlook them. Great friends are good forgetters.
Prayer: Ask the Lord to touch your heart and
give you a heart of love for all people.
Scriptural Reading: Philippians 2:1-11
