Fences

Teach others how to treat you.

As a parent of four and grandmother of four, one thing I’ve learned is that children need structure. Idle time, no boundaries, and little direction leads to chaos.

The same holds true when it comes to how you want people to treat you. The establishment of an “anything goes” precedence gives others the opportunity to impose their standards. Relinquishing your expectations into the hands of the wrong person can be lethal.

When the devil attacked Job, he felt as if he had been mistreated. His words in Job 19:7-9 express similar emotions when we have put our lives into the hands of the wrong person. “If I cry out concerning wrong, I am not heard. If I cry aloud, there is no justice. He has fenced up my way, so that I cannot pass; And He has set darkness in my paths. He has stripped me of my glory, And taken the crown from my head.” 

If you don’t teach others how to treat you, they will decide for themselves. Once the the bull is out of the pin, it might be too late to turn back.

Decide how you want to be treated. Build a fence of safety to establish guidelines that exhibit honor and respect. Set boundaries that provide guidance for your expectations. Clearly communicate your goals, objectives, concerns, and the penalty for violators. Then, stand on your conviction. Those who don't agree or won't comply should be repositioned to the other side of the fence.

Build fences—teach others how to treat you.