By Timothy Lane and Paul Tripp
Relationships are God’s will for us. Each one of us deals with relationships each day, and there is probably not one of us who is not dealing with a difficult person. This book challenged us not to give what we were receiving in difficult relationships; not to just want out of the mess; not to be focused on our own agenda; but, to see a difficult relationship as God molding us into His own image. As the authors point out, “God will take us where we have not planned to go in order to produce in us what we could not achieve on our own.” Jesus loved and served in spite of terrible circumstances and unworthiness of those He was serving even though He is God! We, on the other hand, are so easily irritated at the people who get in the way of our agenda or who show little or no spiritual growth after years of working with them. Since I know that God allows all things, I can be certain, that He also allows difficult people, with the first priority of changing MY heart. In closing the authors point out that our love and service for God will be evident in how we treat others. “Our responses to people are always connected to our response to Christ. Our worship and theology will always be on display in the way we treat others.” I read this book two times within six months and was challenged both times to become more like Christ.