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A transformed person transforms their relationships.

John13:34–35 NLT
"So now I am giving you a new commandment:  Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples."

The Imitation Principle:  Humans reflect what they receive.

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Ephesians 5:1–2 (NLT)

THREE WAYS TO TRANSFORM MY RELATIONSHIPS:

1. Increase my relational awareness.

• Awareness of:  God, others, and myself
• Helpful practices:  slowing and seeing 

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians3:17–18 (ESV)

• What I behold determines who I become.

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
1 John 3:2 (NIV)

ACTION PLAN:  Before Thanksgiving season, make plans to take each member of your family out for their favorite activity.  Use the time to tell them what you appreciate about them.  How do they inspire or challenge you?  Let them know how much they mean to you.

2. Elevate my relational standards.

• Helpful practices:  pausing and planning

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters:  You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.
James 1:19–20 (NLT)

Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything. 1 John3:18–20 (NLT)

ACTION PLAN:  Make a plan to pause. Plan out right now what you will do next time you get in a tense situation with someone. Will you bring a verse to mind? Will you take a deep breath? What perspective will you need to get you out of attack/defense mode and back into treating the other person like God's masterpiece? Studies find that writing this plan down will help it stick, so write it down and keep the plan easy.

3. Adjust my relational inputs.

Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.
Proverbs 13:20 (NLT)

Helpful practices:  receiving and rejecting.

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
Ephesians 5:1–2 (NLT)

ACTION PLAN:  Who do you need to spend more time with?  God?  A strong Christian?  Who could you ask advice from?  Take some time this week, get alone, and think about those names.  Reach out to them this week.