Relationships

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LESSON 4

*January 15 - 21

Relationships

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week's Study: 1 Samuel 25; Eph. 4:1–3; 1 Pet. 3:9–12; Luke 17:3, 4; 23:34; James 5:16.
Memory Text:

“ ‘So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets’ ” (Matthew 7:12, NIV).

An experienced urban evangelist used to organize stress management seminars as an introduction to evangelistic meetings in cities. He had devised a simple survey in which he asked the audience to list four or five things that caused them the most stress. Workers grouped the answers in general categories (health, money, work, relationships, etc.). Before the count was completed, one worker saw that the speaker already had a prepared set of transparencies to discuss “relationships” as the number one source. When questioned, the pastor explained that the results had always been the same: bad relationships always came up as the primary cause of stress. Whether problems with spouse, children, boss, work associate, neighbor, friend, or enemy, people tend to be the principal stressor. In contrast, when relationships are positive, they are a powerful source of satisfaction. This seems consistent across geography and culture. People make us happy or people make us miserable. That’s why this week we’ll spend some time focusing on the important topic of relationships and what the Bible teaches us about them.

*Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, January 22.