//Ecclesiastes 4:4-16 | Russ Kyff

We all have relationships in our life, but the reality is that relationships are hard. Our humanity is almost always cause of relational strain, and sometimes it may seem better to avoid them altogether. This week, Russ three things that can destroy the relationships in our life. The first of these is envy. All of us are competitive by nature and wish to see ourselves succeed above others. Even though a little “friendly competition” seems innocent, it often progressively worsens to much worse feelings toward other people; Cain and Abel are a stark reminder of this truth. But through Jesus, we have been given everything we could ever need; our need to envy others can be thrown away in light of this truth! Next, is isolation. Sometimes this is circumstantial, such as when you face unexpected loss in your life. But many times, this is self-inflicted. We say we have no time, we want to be self-sufficient, or we’re just weirded out by how complicated relationships can be. Ultimately, this is rooted in selfishness. Companionship is much better, in that it increases the results of our work, give us stability when we struggle, gives us intimacy, and gives us security. Finally, being a know-it-all can destroy relationships. These are the people that take over every conversation, always needing to be heard and showing off their knowledge. In reality, they avoid God, because to be a disciple requires humility. In truth, we don’t know anything, and we depend on the Lord to lead us into all truth. If we wish to grow in our relationship and with others, relationships must not be avoided, but embraced.