Got Relationships?: Improve Them With ThirtyOneAnothers

By William Wilson

Got relationships? We all do! Some are strong and satisfying, but many are weak or strained or broken. All of them can be improved! ThirtyOneAnothers is a stimulating biblical guide to better personal interactions and enhanced relationships. It vividly brings to daily life thirty-one "one anothers" found in the New Testament (e.g., love one another, forgive one another, encourage one another, etc.). Presented in a practical and compelling fashion, it includes author William R. Wilson Jr.'s personal experiences, both positive and difficult, to help drive the biblical truths home. He opens himself up and shares failures and difficult lessons learned the hard way as well as successes. Each daily selection consists of an easy-read, entertaining devotional and an insightful challenge/application section. Presented in a simple and interesting fashion, this inspirational book is suitable for younger people (even teens) and less mature Christians as well as adults and committed Christians of all ages. It can accommodate those on the go as well as serious students who would like to take more time. The application section will challenge even the most mature believers but will also stimulate new believers to deepen their commitment to Christ. Some readers may want to use the book in a group Bible study or adult Sunday school, perhaps using one selection per weekly meeting. Not a churchgoer? Got Relationships? Improve Them with ThirtyOneAnothers is also a great resource for those who are not following a particular faith or attending a church. Relationships and personal interactions are more important than ever in today's society at large. They touch and are part of all human lives. Nearly everyone is interested in better relationships! This encouraging and inspiring tool will help!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 6, 2019
• ISBN: 9781098002190

William Wilson

The author, William Wilson, is a writer living in New York. [e-mail]

Book preview

Ways to Use This Book

A month-long daily individual devotional is the original concept I had in mind when the Lord called me to write about the one anothers found in the New Testament. My prayer is that many will find it an edifying and helpful tool when used in that way. The ongoing importance of the topic may lead some to read it a second or third time during a given year. As I worked on the project, however, the Lord showed me some additional possibilities.

A weekly small group Bible study, perhaps using one selection per weekly meeting over an eight-month period to help Christians improve their personal interactions and relationships might be an effective option. The devotional portion can be used to set the stage, the self-examination questions can help stimulate the discussion, and the scriptural selections mentioned for study can provide biblical depth.

Adult Sunday school, also using one selection each week, would provide a much-needed and very practical curriculum for up to two-thirds of a year. Life application, during the week, of Scripture that is learned in a church setting on Sunday, is a powerful way to learn.

Accountability partners could change the order of the selections, if they so desired, and prioritize the one another’s according to individual needs, spending as much time as necessary on each.

Married couples reading the book together can certainly benefit by sharing each selection, even though most of the selections do not specifically address marriage. Faithfully and seriously incorporating the general one another’s into their married life would have a huge impact. The same would apply to couples contemplating marriage.

I prayerfully invite you to use this book in ways that best suit your needs, all to the glory of God!

Preface

Total surprise! This was my reaction when I first realized that the Lord was calling me to create a devotional geared to developing better relationships. I had more objections than Moses did in Exodus 3–4! In the first place, I have had more than my share of difficult, strained, or broken relationships. I can hardly be considered an expert on the topic. Secondly, I have had a clear vision of the Lord’s calling on my life for quite some time. He has called me to, and gifted me in, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ every day, everywhere, with everyone, and by every means that I can in order to win others, thereby glorifying Him. Writing a book on human relationships didn’t seem to match my God-given purpose. Thirdly, I feel very comfortable preaching and teaching God’s Word and sharing it in daily conversation, but I am not an author. I have never published even an article let alone a book. Finally, I am nearly seventy years old. I am still very active, preaching and teaching, but it seemed a little late to start something completely new.

Thank the Lord for His grace and patience! He gently pointed out that since He has forgiven me for my part in my unsuccessful relationships, there may be some people out there who could benefit and learn from my shortcomings and failures. Perhaps there are those who can relate better to the words of someone who could understand their pain and frustration rather than to someone who has never been there.

Moreover, the Lord convicted me that I myself would be a prime candidate for better implementing the principles for personal interaction that He has laid out in Scripture. He helped me to realize that the more Christ-like I am in all my dealings with everyone who crosses my path, the brighter I will shine for Him and the more people will be drawn to Him.

Hey, wait a minute! Now that I think about it, that fits perfectly into my God-given life’s purpose! I never cease to be in awe of God’s wisdom and how long it takes me to catch on! And what He calls me to do, He will strengthen and enable me to do regardless of my age. Thank you, Lord!

As I began to dig into it, I noticed that the phrase one another is frequently used in the New Testament to instruct us in how we should treat other people. I was struck by the fact that, allowing for different English translations for some of the same Greek words in different passages and in different versions of the Bible, there were right around thirty-one different occurrences. Being a huge fan of daily devotionals that cover an entire year, I thought, Why not have a devotional with daily readings for a month instead of a year? Since the topic is relevant to everyone, people might even read the book during multiple months of the year.

It is my fervent prayer that everyone who reads these Scripture-based inspirational messages will find them helpful in improving all of their relationships in life. It is important to remember that we cannot make these improvements on our own. We need to prayerfully depend upon the power of the Holy Spirit to help us progress.

Finally, please understand that the most important relationship of all is having Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and as Lord of your life. The scriptural information on pages 135–139 will help you make that most important decision if you have never done so. Enjoy and God bless you!

Day 1

Love One Another

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

—John 13:34

Start with love! The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like this was the one another with which to begin. After all, in a very profound way, it incorporates all of the others. Jesus even used a related phrase to summarize the last six of the Ten Commandments which speak of our responsibility toward one another. When asked by a scribe what the greatest commandment is, He answered, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength (Mark 12:28–31). This summarizes the first four of the Ten Commandments. Then He said, The second is this, you shall love your neighbor as yourself, which summarizes the final six. In Luke 10:25–37, Jesus illustrated that anyone whose path we cross is our neighbor whom we should love.

But what does this love entail? Notice that Jesus said in John 13:34 that we are to love one another as He has loved us. We must, therefore, investigate how He loves us. Jesus’ love throughout His earthly life was sacrificial action for the benefit of the objects of His love—namely the human race. He always did what was best for those He loved, totally disregarding the cost to Himself. He left heaven’s glory and perfection to enter the world which He had created and which man had marred. He came in poverty and humility. He perfectly carried out His Father’s will: teaching, healing, meeting needs, and showing compassion without any of the possessions or creature comforts that others enjoyed. Eventually He shed His life’s blood to buy our pardon and give us eternal life. He made the ultimate sacrifice for the good of His loved ones without regarding the awesome cost to Himself. Doing what is best for others without concern for the price. That is how we are to love one another!

Thus we are not talking about a warm and fuzzy feeling or fancy, carefully-selected words. This kind of love is action! Furthermore, it is sacrificial action. Its objective is always the well-being of the one loved regardless of the cost to ourselves. We most likely will not be called upon to lay down our lives for one another (although that could happen), but we are called upon to sacrifice our own desires for the good of others. For example, acting in the best interest of others to help meet their needs could cost us time, convenience, effort, or material resources. It could cost us the opportunity to do something we really wanted to do. It could scuttle our plans for an hour, a day, or even longer. And, oh yeah, it has to be done with pure motives! Christ-like love does not seek repayment, praise, a good feeling, or aggrandizement.

When I have failed in relationships of all different kinds over the years, part of the reason is that I could not place another person’s well-being ahead of my own because that would interfere with my desires or pleasures or plans or schedules. In the relationships in which I have been successful, the Lord has empowered me to yield to His Holy Spirit to produce Christ-like love which sacrifices myself for the good of others. I have usually found it easy to say I love you, but I have learned, with some significant pain along the way, that sacrificial actions speak louder than even the most smooth and tender words.

kneeling in the prayer closet

Dear Lord, thank You for loving me so much that You would die for me when I was sinful and totally undeserving. Thank You for forgiving me and giving me eternal life. Please help me, Lord, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to love others as You have loved me by sacrificially acting for their well-being. In Jesus’ name, amen.

standing at the mirror

Honestly, how am I doing loving one another as Christ loves me?

Where and with whom have I failed or made mistakes?

What practical steps can I take to improve?

To whom can I show Christ-like love today? How?

sitting before the open word

Read and study John 3:16; Romans 5:8; Philippians 2:5–11 to help you understand God’s love for you.

Read and study 1 Corinthians 13:4–7 to gain insight as to how you should love others. Spend some time seriously looking at each characteristic of love and honestly evaluate yourself. Then ask the Holy Spirit to help you