Do you get along well with people? It’s an important question because, let’s face it, people are everywhere. People are in your family … on your job … in your neighborhood.
You can’t get away from them!
And the people in your life are not always the way you would like them to be.
Your ability to get along with people greatly impacts the quality of your life. That’s why it’s important to know how to relate to all kinds of people—not just the ones who are like you.
Personally, I have had to learn how to work with all kinds of people because I literally have hundreds of people working for me. When you are in that situation, you learn that you have to talk to some differently than others. You have to understand them in different ways. You can’t expect the exact same thing out of every single person.
I’ve also learned that people respond to correction or constructive criticism in different ways. Some need a little more attention than others. Some need you to pat them on the back at least twice a month or else they feel rejected…while others are fine if you don’t pay any attention to them.
Here’s a common reason why our relationships get messed up: We all have a tendency to try to give other people what we need, instead of giving them what they need.
What “Makes Them Tick”?
One of the biggest mistakes we make in relationships is not studying people to discover their individual needs. If you will closely observe people, they’ll let you know what “makes them tick.”
Many people are stuck in self-centered mindsets. For example, some opinionated people don’t understand that everybody doesn’t want their opinion.
Maybe someone who thinks they’re always right doesn’t “get it” that somebody else would like to be right once in a while. Maybe somebody who is a big talker doesn’t understand that other people would like to talk occasionally.
To have better relationships, start thinking more about others and noticing their needs. For instance, if I want to be a good wife and a blessing to my husband, Dave, then it requires me to pay attention to what he likes. I need to stop and listen when he talks about his dreams, preferences, and things he likes to do.
And then—and this is the important part—I need to follow through with what I find out!
Taking Practical Steps
This is where your love walk comes into play. Are you including others in your daily thoughts and actions? As I mentioned, walking in love includes drawing out information about others…not just getting people in a corner and talking their head off. Because real relationships work both ways—there’s give and take for each person involved.
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I am so hungry to see people who are enthusiastic about walking in love—people who want to do what Jesus did. Acts 10:38 (AMP) says that “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with great power; and He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.”
It’s really simple when you think about it. Here’s a personal example: “Doing good” for my husband can be something as simple as talking to him about golf—a game he loves!—and truly listening while he’s sharing his thoughts with me.
There are so many ways we can do good. A common one is our attitude and behavior when we are out in public. How do you treat the server when you eat at a restaurant or the clerk who is checking you out at the grocery store? Are you rude? Or do you take the time to consider how demanding their job is?
Instead of complaining, give them a kind word. Take interest in them, and when you’re being waited on, give the person a generous tip.
That’s what people who walk in love do, because they know that’s God’s way.
We have to be intentional about focusing on others and doing what we can to meet their needs or make their lives better. When we do, the blessings of God will chase us down and overtake us.
God wants to help you be enthusiastic about loving other people every single day of your life as you do kind and caring things for them. The truth is if you will simply take the time to start studying other people, notice what their needs are, and then put that knowledge into action through your love walk, it will dramatically improve your relationships in every area of your life!
When you honors others, you honor God. Read Rich Wilkerson Sr.’s book I Choose Honor: The Key to Relationships, Faith and Life.
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Joyce Meyer is a New York Times bestselling author and founder of Joyce Meyer Ministries, Inc. She has authored more than 140 books, including Battlefield of the Mind and Overcoming Every Problem (FaithWords). She hosts the Enjoying Everyday Life radio and TV programs, which air on hundreds of stations worldwide. For more information, visit www.joycemeyer.org.
