Day 145: Familiarity Breeds Contempt
Proverbs 25:17
Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house—
too much of you, and they will hate you.
Principle
A line of respect and familiarity governs every relationship.
Familiarity breeds contempt. A line of respect of familiarity governs every relationship. If that line is crossed, the relationship will become contemptuous.
It can happen to the best of relationships – between family members, dear friends, marriages, or even in our relationship with God. When a person becomes familiar with another, they begin to treat one another as common, with disdain, or even fully venting anger or hatred.
A raised voice or derogatory comments are signs of familiarity. Put-downs or dismissive gestures are also disrespectful.
You attract what you respect, and you repel what you disrespect. If you want to lose a relationship, allow yourself to become too familiar with a person.
What is interesting about this relational rule is the more respectful you are, the more intimate the relationship actually becomes. For example, as we show God the respect that He deserves, we actually draw closer to Him. However, if we treat Him as common, He withdraws from us.
Remember:
The only remedy for familiarity is distance. Click To Tweet
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