Who Do I Want To Be With?

The Rose Close your eyes and listen to the story of “The Rose”. Think about the qualities of each possible relationship. Discuss your ideas with your elbow partner. Be prepared to share your ideas with the class.

The Rose Write your own end to the story.

Textbook Page 8 Read the passage titled “A Christian Perspective on Being with Others”. When answering questions in this course we should have three parts to our answers: 1. Make a statement that answers the question. 2. Find a quote to back it up. 3. Explain why the quote works.

Example What should be the focus of a relationship? God wants the focus of our relationships to be love for the other. While God did not tell us exactly how to shape relationships, “God has simply told us that they should be shaped in love”. This quote shows that love is what should shape our relationships, and thus love should be the focus.

Your Turn Answer the Following Reflection Questions What makes a relationship “Christian”? Name a relationship from the media that is like this. What does it mean to “take on the attitude of Christ”? What does it mean to say that a good friend will “challenge you to be more”?

Possible Answers What makes a relationship “Christian”? A Christian relationship is one where each person puts the other’s needs before their own. As Christians, we model our relationships on the example of Jesus, who “was willing to serve the needs of others and to be with them as they needed him to be.” This quote shows that Jesus always put the needs of others before himself, and we are called to do the same.

Possible Answers 2. Name a relationship from the media that is like this. One relationship from the media that is like this would be Dr. Phil and his wife, Robin, who is always at his shows showing her support for him. Though she is a very busy person, even during shows when she is not a guest speaker, she sits in the audience, showing that she is able to “balance [her] own needs with the needs of others.” This quote shows that by demonstrating her constant support, Robin and Dr. Phil have a Christian relationship.

Possible Answers 3. What does it mean to “take on the attitude of Christ”? To take on the attitude of Christ is to be humble and recognize that you should be thinking of others before yourself. In the text, it asserts that “we are called to take on the attitude of Christ, who ‘humbled himself’ (Philippians 2:5-8).” This quote shows that the attitude of Christ is one of humility.

Possible Answers 4. What does it mean to say that a good friend will “challenge you to be more”? A good friend will love you just the way you are but will also want you to be the best person that you can be. A Christian friend is one who “is willing to be with another person in a way that respects that person’s dignity, feelings, values and needs.” This quote shows that even if a person doesn’t respect him/her self, a good friend will call them to see their own dignity.

A Christian Perspective on Being With Others Final Note A Christian Perspective on Being With Others God has given us the freedom and responsibility to shape our own relationships. Each person is unique and so are relationships. A good relationship both gives and takes. It allows people to spend time together, alone and with others. A good relationship requires open and honest communication. In the end, a good relationship requires a balance of time spent apart and together. Each person must learn to compromise and give something of themselves, in order to make the relationship work.