Introducing Relational Wisdom®
Life is all about relationships. Just think about how your whole life would change if you took your relational skills to a whole new level!
Why?
Why do some people seem to have closer and more enduring friendships and marriages than others?
Why do they perform so well in the workplace and advance so quickly in their careers?
How do they maintain such a close and influential connection with their children and relatives?
Why do they seem to have less conflict, and when it does arise, why are they able to resolve it so quickly and completely?
Why are they so effective at helping others resolve conflict that their friends and coworkers call them peacemakers?
Most importantly, why do they have such a relaxed and appealing Christian witness?
A Better Kind of Smart
Well, it’s seldom because they’ve got a higher IQ than others. Studies have consistently shown that high intelligence quotients do not automatically translate into success at home or in the workplace.
There is another kind of smart, however, that correlates strongly with success in all aspects of life. The Bible calls it “wisdom,” and God promises great blessings to those who pursue it earnestly (see Proverbs 3:13-18).
God’s wisdom can be applied to all aspects of life, including money management, physical health, sexuality, even politics, but most of the wisdom principles taught in Scripture apply to our relationship with God and our relationships with the people around us.
RW360 has organized many of these principles into a training paradigm called Relational Wisdom®, or simply RW. These timeless concepts can improve every aspect of your life, whether at home, at church or in the workplace.
What is Relational Wisdom?
Relational wisdom, in essence, is the desire and ability to live out Jesus’ two Great Commandments, namely, to love God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself (Matt. 22:37-39).
Relational wisdom may also be defined as your ability to discern emotions, interests and abilities in yourself and others, to interpret this information in the light of God’s Word, and to use these insights to manage your responses and relationships successfully.
As you learn these skills, you can experience stronger relationships and less conflict at home, at church and in the workplace, as well as improved team-building, better job performance and a more credible witness for Christ.
Six Life-Changing Skills
Relational wisdom involves six core skills that improve our ability to follow God, to discipline ourselves and to serve others. Three of these skills involve “awareness” (what we see and understand), and three of them involve “engagement” (what we say and do). These skill may be defined as follows:
God-awareness (remember) is the ability to view all of life in the light of God’s character, works and promises.
God-engagement (faithfulness) is the ability to trust, obey and imitate God in a way that pleases and honors him.
Self-awareness (humility) is the ability to discern your own identity, emotions, thoughts, values, interests and abilities.
Self-engagement (discipline) is the ability to manage your thoughts, emotions, words and actions so that they advance God’s purposes.
Other-awareness (compassion) is the ability to understand and empathize with the experiences, emotions, values and interests of others.
Other-engagement (service) is the ability to love, encourage, serve and resolve differences with others in a mutually beneficial way.
Enhanced Emotional Intelligence
Relational wisdom is based primarily on the wisdom principles of taught in the Bible, but it also draws on scientific insights into the ways that our human neurology (which is designed by God) affects our emotions and impacts our relationships (see, for example Four Ways to Defeat Amygdala Hijacking).
The emotional and relational dynamics of human neurology are often referred to as “emotional intelligence” or “EI,” which may be defined as the ability to read and manage one’s own emotions as well as the emotions of others. Typical models of EI include four of the skills included in the relational wisdom paradigm: self-awareness, self-engagement, other-awareness and other-engagement.
Relational wisdom goes beyond typical emotional intelligence paradigms by adding two vital skills: God-awareness and God-engagement. This enhancement enables you to draw on the transforming power of God and to exercise the powerful skills of relational wisdom in ways that honor him and bless the people around you.
Free eBooklet
Introducing Relational Wisdom
This free ebooklet provides a detailed introduction to the relational wisdom paradigm, including its biblical basis, gospel foundation, neurological insights and the ways that RW counteract some of the potential downsides of classic emotional intelligence.
Take the Full Course
Go deeper today by enrolling in our 8-hour course on relational wisdom, which includes detailed teaching and demonstration videos that show how you can develop enhanced relational skills that strengthen your friendships, marriage, parenting, job performance and your witness for Christ.
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Frequently Asked Questions
You call relational wisdom "enhanced emotional intelligence," which is a neurological concept. Is it right to mix neurology with theology?
God designed every element of creation, including the human brain with all of its intricate wiring and processes. Therefore, Christians should be avid students of neurology and view its many complexities through a theological lens.
One of your endorsements mentions "amygdala hijacking." What on earth is that?
Amygdala hijacking is a neurological process that damages many relationships. It involves three elements: a sudden unexpected emotion, that triggers an impulsive reaction, that is often immediately regretted. Relational wisdom can greatly reduce the frequency of these often harmful reactions (see 4 Ways to Defeat Amygdala Hijacking).
How is relational wisdom related to the gospel?
Relational wisdom is blessing and outpouring of the gospel. It is one of the primary blessings unleashed through faith in Christ and therefore has the potential to transform every aspect of our lives (see RW and the Gospel).
I have many more questions about relational wisdom. Where can I find more answers?
You can start digging deeper into this concepts by reading our Introducing Relational Wisdom ebooklet and Frequently Ask Questions about RW. To go even deeper, register for our Discovering Relational Wisdom Course.
RW360 Blogs Illustrate Real-Life Relational Wisdom
