When You Believe The Best In People…

 

You help to bring out the best in them.

I’ve found that if i treat people the way i want them to be, they are much more likely to become that sort of person. They’re much more likely to change. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how people respond when they know you really care. Everywhere, Christ, He saw potential in people that they didn’t see in themselves. He didn’t focus on their weaknesses or faults. He saw them the way they could become.

For example, the disciple Peter had many rough edges. He was hot-tempered, loud, bombastic, and impetuous, but that didn’t deter Jesus. Jesus didn’t say, “Forget it, Peter. I am going to find somebody a little more refined than you”. Instead, Jesus worked with Peter to bring the best out of him. It was in there. He just had to get it out.

Now, interestingly, Peters name literally meant “pebble” or “small stone”. However, Jesus saw so much in Peter. He said, ‘I am going to give you a new name. Your name is going to be Cephas, which means “a rock”. In other words, God said, “ You are a pebble right now, but when I get finished with you, you’re going to be a rock. You’re going to be strong, solid, and secure”.

As a rule, you never bring out the best in someone by condemning and criticizing, or verbally beating a person down. You bring out the best by love. You bring it out by showing people that you care. Your friends, family members, or coworkers may do some things you don’t like or that you find offensive; they may have some bad habits, but don’t focus on their weaknesses. Find something they’re doing right and encourage them for that.

I’m not saying that you just sweep things under the rug, but wait for the right time and opportunity to deal with those negative actions or attitudes. First, you must build your relationship, gain the person’s trust and respect, and you can do that by encouraging and challenging him or her to rise higher. People are more likely to change when you treat them the way you want them to be.

For instance, if your spouse is not treating you with as much respect as you know you should, don’t sink down to his level and act disrespectful as well. No, sow a seed. Treat him respectfully anyway and watch that man begin to change. If he’s lazy, treat him as if he were a hard worker. He may do a thousand things you don’t like, but find the one thing on which you can compliment him and encourage him for that.

It’s easy to nitpick and find fault, but our goal Is to bring out the best in people. Our job is to encourage, build up, to challenge people to rise higher. I once heard someone say,” Complimenting each other is the glue that holds relationships and friendships together”.  With so many things working against friendships nowadays its amazing what a kind word here and there will do.

“Honey, you look beautiful today. Thanks for preparing such a delicious dinner,” or, “You did great on your project last week”. Short sincere, natural compliments can help keep our relationships strong. Our society overflows with critics, cynics, and faultfinders. Many people quickly point out what you’re doing wrong, but relatively few take the time to point out anything you are doing right.

I don’t want to live my life like that and I am sure you don’t want to live your s that way either. I’m going to be a giver and not a taker. I want to build people up and not tear them down. I am going to do my best to leave places better off than they were before I passed by. You can be a people builder everywhere you go. That woman at the office, who always seems grumpy, rather than complaining about her, take time to give her a compliment. Build up your friends, and coworkers and your boss.

When you wake up in the morning, instead of channelling all your energies on how you will be blessed, redirect some to how you can be a blessing to someone else. In my life, I have been blessed to have people who believed in me and still does. Friends, choose to bring out the best in people that God has put in your life. You’re never more than God than when you give, and the closest thing to His heart is helping others. If you will be a people builder, focused on bringing out the best in others, I can promise you this: God will bring out the best in you.

Blessings and Love

Photo Credit: Google Pics