Sunday Leftovers – Relationships According to Proverbs

We are to do everything humanly possible to be at peace with all men (Rom. 12:18).

Yet harmony in human relationships cannot always be accomplished.

Elizabeth Barrett was an accomplished writer and poet, yet her marriage with Robert Browning caused an irreconcilable rift with her parents.  As he did with all his children who married, Edward Barrett disowned Elizabeth after the union.  Virtually weekly, Elizabeth wrote letters to her father seeking reconciliation. She received no replies.

Finally, after five years of writing letters, she received a box from her father in return.  When she opened it, she saw all the letters she had sent her parents — all of them unopened and unread.

Do what you can to be at peace with all men, but recognize that not all men want to be at peace and some relationships will be left unreconciled.

The most important principle for us to remember is that we, as followers of Christ, must be the kinds of friends that will always seek reconciliation with others.  We will be the kinds of friends who will build up and nurture godly relationships.

In addition to the principles we have seen the past two Sundays in Romans 12, there are many more guides in Scripture about to how to conduct ourselves with others.  A good many of them reside in the book of Proverbs:

• Be a friend who loves.

A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity. (17:17)

• Be a friend who counsels wisely.

Oil and perfume make the heart glad, So a man’s counsel is sweet to his friend. (27:9)

• Be a friend who offers a brotherly rebuke.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy. (27:6)

• Be a friend who does not gossip about his friends.

He who conceals a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends. (17:9)

• Be a friend who is faithful.  (And beware of too many friends.)

A man of too many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (18:24)

• Be a friend who hates sin.

The soul of the wicked desires evil; His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes. (21:10)

• Be a friend who is a spiritual encourager.

Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another. (27:17)

As one writer has noted, “Acquaintances and casual friendships are easy, both to form and maintain, whereas quality friendships are rarely found, costly to maintain, and incredibly valuable.”

So much as it depends on you, be at peace with all men and be a friend who builds friendships.