Many people are naturally encouraging with their friends. And they’re polite and uplifting to clerks, servers, and strangers. But often the filter comes off when they walk through their front door, and their spouse gets the worst of their words. Couples may think that their biggest problem is that thing they can’t agree on, but often it’s the way they speak with one another that can do the most damage. The Bible helps us rethink how we communicate with our partner.
Many people think that it’s the leader who makes or breaks a small group. But a great small group is usually the result of one or two group members who make the difference. The Bible’s one another commands lay out practical steps that can help you turn your group into the community it’s designed to be.
Painful trials have a way of testing our coping strategies. The Book of Job introduces a man whose suffering included unimaginable financial devastation, unrelenting physical pain, and the tragic loss of his children. His story helps us to see the limitations of some of our usual responses and gives us more effective means of relief.