My 5 year old daughter is in a Christian school and one of the beautiful things they do in her school is to help the kids to be well versed in the Bible through scripture memorization in diverse ways. I can never forget her first scripture she learned to memorize as a three year old as long as I live. This scripture verse sticks so well into my heart due to the way she would confess it as a kid. In this verse, we are instructed by the Holy Spirit to be kind, tenderhearted and to be forgiving towards one another in all of our dealings with men – Ephesians 4:32 (ESV) Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Beloved, do you loved to be forgiven, receiving kindness in so many ways and appreciate tenderhearted people? I heard a big YES in my ears already! Do you struggles to do the same unto others? The depth of our understanding of how much God loved us and forgave us when we didn’t even deserve it, will soften our hearts in loving others in whatever capacity we find ourselves. (See John 3:16, Romans 5:8)

Do you know that we live in a society where many people don’t understand the value of relationships and therefore treat people like a junk? You don’t love and appreciate someone because they’re perfect, you love and appreciate them in spite of the fact that they are not.  “Perfection” is a deadly fantasy – something none of us will ever be.  It is only in Christ we are made perfect. So beware of your tendency to “fix” someone when they’re NOT broken.  They are perfectly imperfect, just the way they should be.

The support you can gather from good friends, groups, family and mentors is formidable. The hope and encouragement you can give them in return is also very vital, even your mentors and those you look up to always needs a little encouragement and love. We were created for relationship with God vertically and horizontally with men in an unconditional atmosphere of love and acceptance. No matter where you’re coming from and what has happened to you through your dealings with people, you don’t have to cut yourself from people and live isolated minding your own business.

Friends are, of course invaluable – they help you both to create and recreate. People who love us for what we are and not what we have already done are great support when we are trying to do and be more. One great key to walking into divine purpose is learning to discern the nuggets of gold in men with rough outer dispositions. Many missed great access to the realm of their destiny because they could not recognize their helpers and treat them like aliens because of their prejudice mentality.

Relationships are not accidental. If God want to use you to impact your world, He has to involve people into your life to bring His will to reality. Satan also operates through this same principle in a very diabolical way; if the devil wants to destroy your life or fizzle the purpose of your life, he releases negative people into your life or create unnecessary tension between you and the people who influences you. (Your Parents, Boss, Pastor, Friends, Wife, Husband, neighbor, Employees. etc.)

Value people more than the things of this world and learn to maintain relationships through thick and thin. A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20.00 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, “Who would like this $20 bill?” Hands started going up. He said, “I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this. He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill. He then asked, “Who still wants it?” Still the hands were up in the air. Well, he replied, “What if I do this?” And he dropped it on the ground. And started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. “Now, who still wants it?” Still the hands went into the air.

My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Friends also fall into this same category, and I don’t think they lose their value to be treated as trash.

Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you and yours are still priceless to those who DO LOVE them. The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, But by WHO WE ARE. “You are special, make others feel the same – Don’t EVER forgets it.”