Week 2

Look Back

How did you make your most challenging relationship stronger by examining yourself?

Look Up

Read Matthew 7:1-5

1. What command does Jesus give us in verses 1-2? What warning does he give, and what does this have to do with reducing conflict and building healthy relationships?
2. What is Jesus referring to when He talks about “removing a speck from another person’s eye”? Why would Jesus warn people against doing something that we think is helpful?

Read Galatians 5:22-23 and Romans 12:10

1. How can living out the “fruits of the spirit” show honor to another person? Why is “self-control” included, and why is it important in our relationships?
2. How does someone “take delight in honoring” another person? How have you experienced this personally in your life?

Overall (Discovery Bible Study)

• What do these scriptures say about God?
• What do they say about people?
• How will I apply this to my life?

Look Ahead

Is your current conflict about the speck or the plank? How can you bring honor to that relationship?

Notes

How do I view the other people in my relationships? We see the world, not as it is, but as we are, and often try to explain people’s behavior with what we know about ourselves. Seeing others as “projects” that require fixing leads to an attempt to control others and creates adversarial relationships. In contrast, we honor others and build healthy relationships when we stop to ask ourselves how well we really know and understand others before offering solutions that have worked for us. This requires self-control and a willingness to allow them to be different and autonomous.