Charles Cook was anxious and restless. He found it hard to concentrate. When he sat down, he could never relax, so he got up frequently to pace the floor, to get a drink of water, to check the time or to look out the window. Cordial and friendly, Charles was the type of person who made you feel that, in him, you really had someone who cared about you and your problems.
“Give me a call–anytime,” he would say cheerfully to everyone visiting his office. Or, “You’ve got to come over to the house and tell me more about it.”
Some people took him up on his offers of hospitality. And there was the rub! His friendliness was an act. He didn’t really mean for business associates to call him–let alone drop in at his home. He was just making conversation. [Read more…]
How would you describe the way you talk? Are your words positive, constructive, comforting, supportive, and uplifting? Or are the words that come out of your mouth most often cutting, negative, and hurtful?
Sometimes it’s a good idea to reflect on our behavior! Are we truly living the abundant life God has for us, or are we settling for less? One of the ways we can think about this is to ask ourselves, “Am I carnal or am I spiritual?” These are two biblical words with important implications. Knowing what these words mean, and understanding how they play out in our lives, can determine the difference between having effective human relations and poor human relations.