Tips for Successful Relationships

Relationships are tricky. Whether its a friendship, parent, boss, teacher, boyfriend, or girlfriend, it can be hard to know how to handle difficult relationships. How do you handle the parent that you don’t agree with? Or the teacher that rubs you the wrong way? Or the boyfriend that broke up with you for no apparent reason?

The book of Ruth offers some awesome suggestions for handing difficult relationships. Ruth found herself in a bad spot. Her husband died. She had to decide what she was going to do next. She chose to follow her mother-in-law to a new country. Ruth didn’t have to go, but she chose to. Then when they arrive in the new country, her mother-in-law wasn’t all that nice to be with. She was sad and depressed. Not the kind of person you’d respect and work hard for. Ruth did something amazing though, she stayed with her mother-in-law and stayed true to God.

But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. – Ruth 1:16 (NLT)

There is an important lesson in here when it comes to relationships. Its this, respecting God and authority will help you out in the long run. That is exactly what Ruth did. She respected her authority, her mother-in-law. Regardless of Naomi’s attitude and outlook on life, she chose to respect her and stick with her. Ruth also chose to stick with God. She chose to serve God and follow after Him.

The awesome thing about these two decisions is how they brought Ruth success. Ruth ended up marrying a very rich and successful guy. She got an awesome outcome to her life’s story. And it all started with her simply respecting authority and God in her life.

Authority relationships in your life can be tough. It can be hard to respect those in charge of you. But its important to do. It can bring you into success in ways you’ve never imagined, just like Ruth.

The other thing Ruth did was to follow God. Her decision to follow after God wasn’t easy for her. But it led her into good things.

Look at your own life? Have you made the same decision Ruth did? Have you decided to follow God? No matter where that might lead you? Have you put your trust in Him? And have you been respectful of the authority that is in your life? Doing these two things will set you on a path to success that you’ve never dreamed of! Choose to follow God and respect authority.