Every one of us has allowed people we cannot count on to get close to us. Every one of us has put our trust in people who have abused that trust. Every single one of us has given more to a person than they were willing to give back— and we have done it multiple times, why? Because, Generally, we lack intentionality in choosing our relationships.

We “fall” into love. We “end up” being friends. We “happen” to connect with someone, but very often are not intentional in how we enter a relationship, cultivate a relationship, or in some cases, exit a relationship when it becomes toxic or unhealthy.

Perhaps our parents or mentors or grand parents or guidance counselors simply did not prepare us with the right skills we need to graciously assess whether someone should actually be in our lives. Perhaps because we live an a culture that is in love with the idea of love, fears conflict, and longs to be liked, we do not know how to enter, or if need be, exit relationships well.

Though all of the aforementioned is true to one degree or another I believe, greater than anything affecting us in this regard, is that we lack wisdom in choosing relationships. If we were wise in choosing our relationships, we could avoid a world of hurt in intimate relationships, and a world of trouble in others.

Wise relationships are intentional, tested, and true.

Wise | Wise Relationships | Proverbs 5:15-19;13:20;17:17; 27:6;18:24