Picture: Counsel #23 — Habitual Disrespect CI 62.1
Some relationships feel like you’re walking on eggshells - you give your best, but you’re met with constant sarcasm, criticism, or control. Maybe it’s subtle little jabs, passive-aggressive comments, or being ignored when you express how you feel. Over time, this toxicity begins chipping away at your sense of worth, and love without respect isn’t love at all. CI 62.2
God never designed you to stay in close relationships, romantic or platonic, where you’re routinely dishonored. Jesus loved everyone, but He wasn’t close to everyone. He surrounded Himself with people who honored God’s mission in Him, and He walked away when people’s hearts were hard or stubborn. Keep in mind that you can forgive someone and still set a boundary, just as you can pray for someone and still choose distance. Being treated poorly doesn’t mean you’re unworthy. Rather, it says more about the other person’s wounds than your value. If you’re in an unhealthy relationship, pray to God for wisdom on how to get out. Most importantly, surround yourself with people who speak life into you, not those who drain it from you. Respect begins with how you allow yourself to be treated; Choose your friends wisely and maintain healthy boundaries.[62] https://adventistreview.org/magazine-article/sometimes-bitten/ CI 62.3
“Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” 1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV CI 62.4
“Just in proportion to the strength of the friendship, will be the amount of influence which friends will exert over one another for good or for evil.” Ellen White in Testimonies for the Church , vol. 4, p. 587 CI 62.5
Reflect: Is there a person in your life from whom you’ve been tolerating disrespect? CI 62.6
