We must not be proud or irritate one another or be jealous of one another.
—Galatians 5:26 (GNT)
As a believer, one of the things you must become conscious of is not only your walk with God, but also your walk with people. There are those who say, “What matters most is your walk with God; what people think about you does not really matter.” While that statement may sound sensible, it is not entirely true.
The reason is simple. You live in a world of people, and you need people to function and thrive. Everything you will ever do in this world will be done with people and through people. Therefore, your relationship with others matters.
You must come to a place where you understand the role people play in life and intentionally seek to maintain good relationships with them. Why does this matter? Because how people perceive you matters. The impression you create in their lives matters. Never get to the point where you habitually irritate people and then claim that you do not care. When you live that way, you are gradually destroying your future opportunities.
Unfortunately, some people deliberately live in ways that irritate others. They are careless about the implications of their behavior, but this is not how life is meant to be lived. When you develop the habit of irritating people, you lose their friendship and loyalty. You lose their recommendations and assistance. Eventually, people become unwilling to associate or work with you because of your conduct.
For this reason, you must desist from such a lifestyle. Value the relationships God has given you, and choose to be accommodating rather than irritating. In our opening text, Paul admonished believers, saying, We must not be proud or irritate one another or be jealous of one another. Did you see that? This instruction is clear and practical.
So, choose to be a loving person and allow this to become one of the guiding principles of your life. Hallelujah.
Today’s Rhema
If you are in the habit of irritating people, you will lose the friendship and loyalty of others.
Prayer
Father, I thank You for teaching me the importance of friendship and relationships. I choose to value the relationships in my life, and I refuse to irritate anyone. I am equipped with wisdom, and I choose to do what is right from this day forward, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
