GRACE

Relationships cannot survive without grace. People need to be given some room for mistakes and misunderstandings. The Bible says, “Love is patient and kind; it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Corinthians 13:7). In the original Greek, the phrase used means “covered with a roof.” Just like a house needs a roof to protect it from wind and rain, relationships need a love that extends grace to cover and protect them.

Biblical love is not about holding people accountable for every little mistake they make but rather about letting some things slide. We all make mistakes because we are all sinners. Therefore, grace is essential to relationships. If you’re married, you married a sinner, and your spouse did too! No one is perfect, and no relationship is perfect. The same goes for friendships. No friendship is perfect because no friend is perfect. Two imperfect people will never create an ideal relationship.

The Bible says in Romans 3:10, “There is no one who always does what is right, not even one.” Nobody gets it right 100% of the time. It’s never just one person’s fault. We all make mistakes, and there’s always responsibility on both sides. The saying goes, “It takes two to tango.” It also takes two to disagree! That’s why the Bible says we must learn to extend grace to each other. Forgiveness is a two-way street. We cannot receive what we’re unwilling to give to other people.

You can build strong relationships by treating others the way God treats you. Romans 15:7 says, “Accept each other just as Christ has accepted you.” Accepting others may look like listening without judging a friend or giving space to a tired, grumpy family member. When you get others as they are, looking past their faults for the sake of love, that’s when you build strong relationships.