4/1 Strength for Today

Getting Along with People

Ephesians 4:3
“Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Getting along with people is no easy task. With all the different types of personalities there are in this world, it is quite the chore to get along with each of them. A person who is going to excel in life must learn to get along with each type of personality. Leaders will only excel to the degree that they get along with people of all personalities. If we want to live a life of excellence for Christ, then we will have to work hard at getting along with people.

In the verse above God commands us to get along with people. God even warns us that we will have to endeavor to get along with people. The word “endeavouring” means, “to exert physical or intellectual strength.” In other words God was warning us that it would take our full effort in order to get along with people. In verse 2 God teaches us what effort it will take on our part in order to get along with people.

First, we will have to practice lowliness. God is simply telling us that we will not get along with people if we have a superiority complex. In order to get along with people, we cannot carry ourselves as if we are better than others. We will have to work at keeping ourselves in proper perspective because a superiority complex will cause strife and division.

Secondly, if we are going to get along with people we will have to practice meekness. Being meek is simply keeping power under control. In other words, it is having the power to hurt someone but withholding yourself from exercising that power. It is a person who has a position of power and can exercise that power to hurt people, but withholds that power for the sake of getting along. God is teaching us that we are not always right and that we need to be careful about using our position to get our way.

Thirdly, longsuffering is one of the ingredients it will take to get along with people. God is teaching us that if we are going to get along with people then we must be patient with people as they grow. Longsuffering is putting up with people’s weaknesses so they can grow. If you are going to get along with people, you will have to realize they are growing and you will have to be longsuffering with them so they can grow.

Last of all, we must forbear with people in order to get along with them. This is simply not acting out of reaction, but acting out of love. In order to get along with people we are going to have to learn to act out of love and not out of a whim. In other words, we should let love dictate how we treat people.

Yes, it will take physical and mental effort in order to get along with people, but you must realize that the efforts of getting along with others is worth it in the long run. You are going to get old some day, and if you don't get along with people now, you will be a lonely person when you are old. The more you get along with people, the more friends you will have, so work hard at getting along well with others.