Humility is a crucial ingredient in healthy relationships. But what does the Bible mean by humility? Is it just about belittling yourself or having low self-esteem? And how can we develop genuine humility in our lives? We must embrace true humility if we’re going to flourish in our relationships with God and one another.

Some people dismiss Christianity as a crutch, but anyone who has tried to live the Christian life knows that it’s hard! Following Jesus means we're often swimming against the tide of culture, battling temptation, or encountering spiritual warfare. We can become like shell-shocked soldiers who have been in battle too long. That’s why we need to encourage one another. But what does it really mean to encourage someone? How do we “put courage” back into someone who has lost heart?

We all have blind spots — areas of our character we’re not aware of — which sabotage our relationship with God and others. That’s why we need people in our lives who are willing admonish and confront us. We need people who love us enough to do that for us, and we need to do it for others even though we may be tempted to look the other way. But true love involves stepping out of our comfort zones to admonish and rescue fellow believers in need.

Forgiveness is one of the hardest things for anyone to do. When we’ve been wronged, we want justice, so it seems unfair to simply forgive. So why are we told repeatedly in the Bible to forgive? What does it mean to really forgive someone? And how do we go about doing that?

Serving is kind of like eating vegetables — something we know we should do, but don’t actually want to do. But a funny thing happens when you serve: not does it help those you serve, it helps you as well. It’s the contradictory blessing of serving: emptying yourself for others will make you full.

On 59 occasions, the New Testament uses the phrase “one another” when referring to how we’re to treat others. These commands form the basis for all true Christian community. Jesus gave the first “one another” which is foundational for all that others: "love one another as I have loved you." But if we’re to fulfil this command, we must understand how Jesus demonstrated love in his earthly ministry.