RELATIONSHIPS CAN BE YOUR KEY TO SUCCESS
“He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed.” —Proverbs 13:20
“Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go, Lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul. —Proverbs 22:24-25
The other day I heard a video chat by Keith Johnson where he said something that caught my attention. He said, “relationships are the shortcuts to success.” I have no idea if this is a quote available on line or something he came up with. The point is, it caught my attention and caused me to stop what I was doing. I then began to think about what I had just heard and started to meditate on the topic of relationships.
It is a fact; relationships can either make you or break you. The two Proverbs on the heading of this article admonishes us to carefully consider whom we associate ourselves with. Growing up my praying mother was always vigilant of who my friends were. I had some that I didn’t care to evaluate how my association with them was shaping my everyday life. I was either too young or just plain foolish. Let’s briefly examine this topic and let me submit to you some practical steps that may help you when exercising these choices.
Seek wisdom when choosing your relationships. Wisdom is the principal thing. Foolish choices can result in foolish results, on the other hand using good wisdom in choosing your relationships can elevate you to unlimited heights.
Relationships produce partnerships. Take for instance, choosing the person you are planning to spend the rest of your life with. It may be the beginning of a great journey or the introduction to the greatest nightmare of your life. The choosing of a business partner may represent financial success or a plain financial disaster that has caused many to end either in jail or complete bankruptcy.
Partnerships can produce acceleration. Consider those who partnered with Henry Ford when many looked the other way thinking he was not going anywhere with his “T car”. From one day to the next, they became instant millionaires.
God never intended for you to reach your destiny by yourself. We don’t live in a bubble. We need each other. He has already designated people along your way so you can develop a relationship with them. He has strategically placed them in your walk of life to catapult you into your destiny. Cultivate them. Do not underestimate them. For every Moses there is a Joshua and for every David there is a Goliath.
Do not pretend to know all the answers. Those who think this way cannot learn from relationships. Those who know they don’t have all the answers are the ones that can learn from new relationships. Cultivate this attitude.
Makes a whole lot of sense, "good relationships are the shortcuts to success." Success, therefore, is the collection of the right people in your life.
Apostle Carlos H Lopez
Senior Leader, Paul and Silas BIBLE church.