HOW TO GET ALONG WITH PEOPLE / Mrs JoBeth Hooker

Mrs JoBeth Hooker

Pastor's Wife

Calvary Baptist Church

Memphis, TN

HOW TO GET ALONG WITH PEOPLE

Life is people!

Romans 16:1-2, I commend unto you Phoebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: 2 That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.

Romans 16 is a praise-of-others chapter. Paul spends the entire chapter bragging on people that made a difference in his life and in the lives of others. I love this chapter because I genuinely love people. There have been a lot of unsung heroes in my life and, I’m sorry to say, those precious people never got bragged on or praised by me like they should have and I regret that! This is a great chapter to remind us all to look into the faces of people, see them how God sees them- as somebody very special- and brag, praise and honor them. In Romans 16, Paul shows us by example how to do that and gives us some very good reasons as to why:

1. Find something good in every person and purpose to learn each person’s name. People feel special when they know we cared enough to just remember their name. I’m not good at it, but I try really hard.

2. Seek to know only the good and not the evil. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so them: for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:12 I wouldn’t want anyone knowing only the bad stuff about me. Everybody needs to feel acceptance and love.

3. Be positive about people because: 

a. We are family! They are our brothers and sisters in Christ. (16:1)

b. They serve in the church and are a necessary help to the church. 

(16:1, 2) I think particularly of those who help in the nursery, junior church, choir, Wednesday’s kids class, teen activities, the PA booth, financial aid, the bulletin and so much more. There’s a lot to do!

c. They have put their necks on the line for others. (16:3, 4) Running a bus route in a not-so-good part of town is a prime example of this!

d. Their presence at church encourages the pastor. (16:5) 

e. Fellow Christians have sent them to us and have commended them to our watch-care and well-keeping. (16:7) I think of the Clarke family, of Scott and Tess Ryder whose little girl Sophia has been at St. Jude and the Boddie’s in the loss of Akesha. They need us!

f. They are hard-workers and goodness knows we need hard-workers! (16:12) I think of the men of our church who have worked on buses, mowed the grass, built structures, painted, cleaned, picked up trash, changed the lightbulbs…wow! We can’t afford to lose anyone!

g. They bring others to church with them. (16:14) I think of the Browns who brought Crystal and Anthony. What a blessing!

h. They visit and fellowship with others. (16:15, 16) That’s our whole church!! Our church IS the most loving church of any church I have ever known!

4. Don’t mess with the critics! Don’t give a critical tongue a hearing! Every person in our church deserves better than that! (16:16)

5. If there is truly a problem, then they need us to lock arms and pray for them! God alone has the power to change them and we limit Him when our attitude toward them is not right. (16:24) We need grace. They need grace. We all need grace! It comes through knowing Jesus Christ, but also through:

a. Preaching

b. Local church

c. Encouragement of others

                                                           …THAT’S US! PRAISE THE LORD!

IF YOU LOVE SOMEONE TELL THEM…BECAUSE HEARTS ARE OFTEN BROKEN BY WORDS LEFT UNSPOKEN.