The Friday Exposure: People

If one were to stand back and just observe someone (people watching, not stalking), it would become quite noticeable how multifaceted human beings really are. For each person, there are unique combinations of personality traits, characteristics, preferences, and dislikes that go into defining who someone is. Sure people are similar, but no one is exactly identical in how they process interactions and thoughts, which goes towards each person's uniqueness. Likewise, each person responds in their own way to different stimuli, whether that be something as simple as a touch or something as complex as a deep discussion over deep-seated feelings in combination with a dimly lit, romantic atmosphere. Looking at any relationship (friends, family, marital), knowing what gets through to the other person to show that you care about the relationship is key and vital to the health of the relationship.

Therefore, if I were to ask "What is it that your friends, family, or spouse enjoy? What can you do to uplift them?", would you know how to respond? How well do we really know those who we are close to? More often than not, we think about what we can do to make life better for ourselves rather than what we could be doing to make life better for someone else. I myself am not exempt from this. I believe that as a community of believers, Christ followers need to be exemplifying this in their lives towards people they know and those they do not know. In terms of personal relationships, one idea I have heard about is taking notes on what friends enjoy. Then through those notes one will know how to uplift their friend no matter what the circumstances may be. If is someone you don't know well, then small gestures of kindness can go a long way. I am not saying these things to only better your relationship with specific people, but to encourage you to live like Christ with your focus being placed on those around you rather than on yourself and your needs or wants. Seek to benefit other before yourself.

So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. - Matthew 7:12