Do you wish you had a better relationship with your brother or sister? Your son or daughter? Your parents? Maybe a co-worker, a friend, or even a spouse?

Much of our life happens in relation to one another, and much of our faith life is driven by a desire for relationship.  So it makes sense that the New Testament places great emphasis on relationships.  Take a look at some of the ways God instructs us to have a relationship with one another.

20 tried-and-true ways to have a relationship with someone:

1. love one another (John 13:35)

2. be devoted to one another (Romans 12:10)

3. honor one another above yourselves (Romans 12:10)

4. live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16)

5. build up one another (Romans 14:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:11)

6. accept one another (Romans 15:7)

7. care for one another (1 Corinthians 12:25)

8. serve one another (Galatians 5:13)

9. bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2)

10. forgive one another (Ephesians 4:2, 32; Colossians 3:13)

11. be patient with one another (Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:13)

12. be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32)

13. consider others better than yourselves (Philippians 2:3)

14. look to the interests of one another (Philippians 2:4)

15. teach one another (Colossians 3:16)

16. comfort one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18)

17. encourage one another (Hebrews 3:13)

18. show hospitality to one another (1 Peter 4:9)

19. pray for one another (James 5:16)

20. confess our faults to one another (James 5:16)

We are to do these things because we belong to one another (Romans 12:5; Ephesians 4:25).  Relationships are crucial to an active walk of faith.  Take a moment to reflect on areas in your faith and life where you can enact 1-2 of these verses.  Second, start a relationship with someone based on 1-2 ways suggested here.  As you walk out your faith, come back to this list for more ways to build upon the strong foundation your laying down for your future, and your future relationships.

Above all, God wants to have a relationship with you, and He demonstrated this desire through his Son, Jesus Christ.  This list does not exhaust the ways in which God wants to relate with you.  Our God is a personal God who meets you where you are at, no matter what your circumstances are.  For those specific moments in your life, here are some extra resources:

Preparing your children for marriageWe spend weeks training our dogs how to sit and heel, yet, when it comes to marriage, we leave our children to fend for themselves.  

What breed of man are you?We need men who will say “no” to more bucks when it means sacrificing their families.

8 lies that destroy marriageEvery wrong behavior begins with believing a lie.

How do you allow your relationships to impact your faith life?

How does faith impact your relationships?

This post published with permission from Family Life Today with Dennis Rainey.