The Favorable side of Familiarity...



The Favorable side of Familiarity...
"As iron sharpens iron,so one person sharpens another." Proverbs 27: 17
Pastor Mary Ann Wray



As a culture we tend to view "familiarity" as a complete negative and demonize it for pretty good reasons. We’ve all heard the expression “Familiarity breeds contempt” and it can be very true. Because we know someone’s humanity as in the case with Jesus and his own natural family and town, familiarity can be used by the enemy as a hindrance. But as in the case of just about everything, there's a good side to familiarity. I believe we do well to recognize its advantages and partake of it.
The negative side of familiarity is seeing another's humanity with their faults and using that as an excuse to reject them or what they say and do for the Lord. These excuses often cut relationships off, shut people out of our lives, and put up a wall where we don't heed their admonition, instruction, encouragement, correction and or gifts of God through them as earthen vessels. We tend to focus only on their shortcomings as we peer through a lens of criticism or offense. Perhaps this comes from our own insecurity or lack of patience.
I've been married to the same man for 41 years. I am well aware and familiar with his shortcomings as he is well aware of mine. If I point out a fault to him it's not to demean, disrespect or reject him (visa versa) . It's to help him or me be a better wife or husband and a better Christian. The motivation and approach has to be humility and love not anger and frustration. Honestly, however, there are times we just need to 'hash things out' but it always ends in forgiveness and a greater understanding of each other.
If we become defensive this hurts us and our relationships. Our defensiveness only puts up a wall where we can't receive correction or anything we view as a 'negative' from those close to us. Sometimes we feel like we are being attacked but if we trust those we love we can see they only want what's best for us.
The walls of mistrust, pride, insecurity and a myriad of other negative emotions can prevent us from receiving the healing and encouragement we need from one another. Selah

"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." Ephesians 4: 15-16

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