How can I become a better person with interpersonal relationships? Questions to ask myself: Can I be a better person? Does my influence make things better or worse? John 21:22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me.
I want to address those who live a God-fearing and honorable life on a daily basis. I have made some very well-thought out decisions in my Christian life, yet another one’s opinion saw it as a misjudgment and a mistake. Who was correct? This type of incident has been experienced by every child of God. How can I become a better person in cases like this? I take no issues with those who have different views and have the fear of God even if it seems like a decision of mistake. Many things and incidents are simply not for me to pay any attention to. It is not to be of any interest to my curiosity.
If I cannot be assured in bringing a total solution to the problem, I should never give it attention. The more personalities involved, the more exaggerated and complicated a small problem becomes. This is what a tongue can do. It kindles a small matter into a world of iniquity. Is it ever meant that we all have the same personality or opinion? It can never be possible knowing that God created us differently. Some of our make-up comes from prior or present iniquities or difficult circumstances of the past that shaped our lives. Most people get themselves in trouble and cause even more when they allow matters to become their own when the matters actually belong to someone else. These matters are often things that we cannot make better.
I then have to realize, I need not get involved nor will I allow myself to become influenced by it. Gossip-prone people thrive in these cliques, never having a solution that brings resolve. But they promote, propel, and exaggerate!
Question: Am I gossip-prone? How can I avoid the mistake of getting involved when a friend shares things I need not know? Change the subject quickly? Let us consider what Jesus said. Jesus encountered this after He made a statement about one of His disciples betraying him at the last supper. John 21:20 Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray you?” V.21 Peter asked Jesus, “Yes what about him, Lord?” V. 22 Jesus replied, what is that to you, Peter? Follow thou me.” (NLT) This was a rebuke from Jesus to Peter to not get involved in business outside his place and function even while his fellow disciples were eating the last supper at the same table. Jesus basically told Peter, this thing with your fellow disciple is none of your business. Stay out of it. What is that to me?
Millions of personalities are living at this moment and millions of opinions are active and engaged. Most careful and God-fearing people make mistakes because of our humanity. I have at times stood at the crossroads of decision trying to help solve a difficulty that seemed impossible to solve between two personalities. Issues can easily happen because of the differences in personalities—even in God-fearing people. We perceive that Peter was curious about the business Jesus and John—the disciple who Jesus loved!—were discussing Judas. There was a giant problem brewing among the close knit community of disciples. It was beginning to surface. It involved the death of Jesus. It was glaring and attractive to stimulate curiosity and promote involvement with all that heard. Jesus simply put a sudden stop to Peter’s unnecessary curiosity even though Jesus was the one who unveiled the issue. Jesus replied, “What is that to you, Peter? Follow thou me.” Why did Jesus say follow me? Was Peter running ahead of Jesus?
When we get involved in things that are not ours to involve in, are we running ahead of Jesus? Follow me, stay behind me. Do not get in front of me. When we gossip and get involved in matters that don’t belong to us, we are certainly not following Jesus. Let us remember today the rebuke of Jesus, “What is that to me? Follow thou Jesus!” 2 Peter 1:5 …Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; V.6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; V.7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. V.8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. V.9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
