GR8 Relationships

Remember the "4 Mistakes That Cripple Relationships". (Go to Course 05A to get the details.) Each mistake tries to control or limit the freedom of the people around you. Unfortunately, we only recognize the Dictator as being controlling.

Maybe you have heard, "Beauty is skin deep, but ugly goes to the bone." Actually, according to God, beauty—incorruptible beauty—is as deep as your soul. And, it's available without any exercise, medical procedures, pills, drugs or diets.

Louie and I have heard that many times from both men and women. Does that mean the biblical designs are wrong? Of course not. Just because I have a design does not mean that the design will be properly utilized. For example, have you ever used a common kitchen knife as a screwdriver? It can be used that way, but the design is not as useful as when the knife is used to spread jelly or butter on some bread.

Results AND Relating is a great principle for any relationship to use and it is imperative for great leadership. The principle is just another way to talk about the image of God—Separate, Powerful (Results)—Belonging, Relational (Relating).

Your relationships will be just like the couple above when the image of God is distorted. Men's testosterone puts a focus on power for men and women's estrogen-progesterone focus on relating. Of course, development can focus men on relating and women on power, so we have a real mess. Whether based on design or development, each of us tends to have a preference for power or relating. Too much power becomes "My way or the highway!" Too much relating becomes "Can't we all just get along!"

If the image of God is best described by the two words—Powerful and Relational, then we should be able to find scriptures to support the idea.

Here is what you may have been taught is the image of God: God has emotions—mankind has emotions; God has intellect—mankind has intellect; God has a will—mankind has a will. While true, here is a better option—God's image has something to do with maleness and femaleness. Genesis 1:26-27 are the first verses that use "image of God".

Women are an absolutely stunning creation and blessing from God. I can identify with Adam's pleasure when he first saw Eve. That is a common feeling when I look at Louie, even to this day.

Man is designed to WORK, but he needs a suitable companion, which is why God designed woman.

Without clarity of good and bad, anything goes. Satan wants us confused, thinking that things are not really good or bad. In fact, he wants you to think that things are complex, even those things that are plain and obvious. The primary strategy that he uses to add complexity to our life is was used with Eve in the Garden of Eden.