Home Survival Kit

The Number One Key to All Relationships

Bethany ~

"Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: For God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time." (1 Peter 5:5-6)

The key of humility...this is one of the best chapter in this book so far. Without this key of humility, we will not find our problems in the home, desire to serve others in our family, admit you are wrong, or do anything else we have previously addressed in this book. Humility. What an amazing character trait that so few people have.

The first person that comes to mind from the Bible that was a very humble man, was Abraham. When his nephew Lot's herdsmen were fighting with his herdsmen, he first said told Lot that there must be no fighting between them. Abraham allowed the younger Lot to pick the land first...the green lush grazing land, or the rugged, desert mountains. Of course Lot chose the lush land and Abraham was left with the rugged mountains.

Don't let pride get in the way of a relationship. It's so easy to do, as we are created with auto-pride machines in us. Yet with God's help, we can conquer that pride and let humility reign in it's place.


Jenna ~

Applying humility. It's one of those things that *seems* easy at first, but it magnifies once you actually try!! How do you show humility? Here is the list of ways to start applying humility - I like these lists (if you can't tell!)...

How to Apply Humility:
- Be willing to listen to them (siblings or friends) instead of talking about yourself.
- Ask for their help and advice
- Consider your siblings more important than yourself (Phil. 2:3-4)
- Be willing to do things THEIR way. Don't make all the decisions (this is especially hard for first-borns like me;)
- Let others be the first to tell the latest news.
- Say, "I was wrong," and explain why.
- Ask forgiveness
- Share your struggles
- Be quick to give in when there is a problem.
- Never put them down by joking about them
- Express gratefulness and thankfulness for the ways they benefit your life.
- Be willing to do the things no one else wants to do.
- Look for ways to serve them
- Submit to them (Ephesians 5:21)
- Try to fit into their schedule, rather than forcing them to fit into yours.

Many of you know that I am the "first born" daughter and almost the first born child and yes, I suffer from the oldest child bossy syndrome. It's a terrible syndrome that makes your siblings suffer more than you do - it makes them miserable and often times makes them build up brick walls in the relationship because you're being bossy.

Here's an example for you of OCBS (Oldest Child Bossy Syndrome): I love to work - I love finding a job/chores that show tons of progress or even little things that will never be noticed. I Enjoy making a difference, working is just something that I love!! On the other hand, one of my sisters LOVES and I mean LOVES to read...I think that reading is a good thing, but I also think that she sits in the chair too much doing it:) So, being the one with OCBS and having ever so much "knowlege" (JK), I'll say "sister, you need to get out of the chair now and DO SOMETHING!!! Anything besides reading, really. She gets offended and I'm now the bad guy for being bossy! I've just caused her to put another brick on the wall that grows between a relationship. I made a mistake, but I also have the opportunity to take that brick back off the wall and practice humility!! I can (and will work on) going back to her and saying "I'm so sorry for being bossy to you, please forgive me - I was wrong..."

This is an example of me talking too much and not humbling myself - I think that I'm right, and that she needs to obey me. Sometimes I think that she needs to like work and cleaning like I do but that's not looking for ways to serve her...Where is my humility?!

I see in my life, that there are literally HUNDREDS of opportunity's each day for me to practice humility. Here I go again, ready to conquer another giant with the Lord's help!


Stephens Definitions!

Public Opinion: What people think people think.
Mistakes: Something made only by others; we only make unavoidable errors.
Faults: When looking for these, use a mirror, not a telescope...
Argument: When two people are trying to get in the last word first.


What blessed you in this chapter? What are your thoughts on Humility? Would you care to comment with your thoughts on this chapter?!?

In Christ,
Jenna and Bethany