Gaining the Respect and Affection of Others
Relationships matter. That was the theme for our church for a year or two. I was trying to show our people that if they neglected their relationships or if they had bad relationships with others, they would not have the life God desired for them to have. We are made in God's image. Part of that is the ability to have relationships. God said from the very beginning that it was not good for man to be alone. That doesn't just apply to marriage. It is a general life principle. Daniel was taken into captivity by the Babylonians because he was a smart, good looking young man. The king wanted him and his three friends to be trained for three years, so they could be some of his advisors. God had a plan for Daniel's life, too. (Daniel 1:9) "Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel." In other words, the chief of staff noticed the difference in Daniel as compared to the other men. It led him to respect him and have affection for him, so the...