John 2:23-25 23 <\/sup>\u201cNow while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name.24<\/sup><\/em> But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25<\/sup> He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Here, we see Jesus setting a healthy boundary of non-trust with some of the people at the Passover Festival, as he knew their true intentions. \u00a0A commentary by Matthew Henry says \u201cOur Lord knew all men, their nature, dispositions, affections, designs, so as we do not know any man, not even ourselves. We know what is done by men; Christ knows what is in them, he tries the heart.\u201d 1<\/sup><\/p>\n Mark 1:35 \u201cVery early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Luke 9:18 \u201cOnce when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, \u201cWho do the crowds say I am?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Matthew 14:23 NIV \u201c<\/em>After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n If Jesus felt the need to meet everyone\u2019s expectation of him, he would never have had time to be alone with God.\u00a0 As a Christian, it is tempting to get so caught up in \u201cgood doing\u201d that we become too busy to pray. \u00a0This scenario allows the enemy to steal the communication with our Father that is crucial to the Christian life.\u00a0 Martin Luther is quoted as saying that he prayed two hours a day unless he was busy, then he would pray for three hours. \u00a0\u00a0Setting a healthy boundary around alone time with God decreases stress and burnout, allowing us to experience the joy of the Lord.<\/p>\n Relationships<\/strong><\/p>\n Proverbs 25:17 \u201cSeldom set foot in your neighbor\u2019s house\u2014 too much of you, and they will hate you.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Not only do we need to set healthy boundaries for ourselves, but it is also important to respect the boundaries of those who you are in relationship, whether it is a family member or neighbor. \u00a0\u00a0In other words, don\u2019t wear out your welcome.<\/p>\n Proverbs 26:4 \u201cDo not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Christians must protect themselves by setting healthy boundaries from those constantly want to argue and speak poorly of others, as our engagement in these conversations can quickly lead to hardness of the heart. We should not feel guilty about distancing ourselves from those that have a negative influence on us.<\/p>\n Saying No<\/strong><\/p>\n James 5:12 \u201cBut above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your \u201cyes\u201d be yes and your \u201cno\u201d be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n It can be easier to say \u201cyes\u201d than \u201cno\u201d to keep from hurting someone\u2019s feelings.\u00a0 Sometimes saying \u201cno\u201d is the answer that is the healthiest for you (and many times, the other person). Learning to say \u201cno\u201d when it is appropriate is the start of setting healthy boundaries.<\/p>\n Consequences<\/strong><\/p>\n Proverbs 19:19 \u201cA hot-tempered person must pay the penalty; rescue them, and you will have to do it again.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n 2 Corinthians 7:8-10 “Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it\u2014I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while\u2014<\/em> yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Someone who does not respect the boundaries of others must see the consequences of their behavior before they feel the need to repent. \u00a0Having healthy boundaries means that you no longer feel the need to rescue people from paying consequences.<\/p>\n Summary<\/strong><\/p>\n These examples from the Bible demonstrate areas in our life where we need to experience healthy boundaries.\u00a0 Healthy boundaries are like protective guardrails, keeping us safe from harm and leading us in the right direction.<\/p>\n Medical Ambassadors International (MAI)<\/strong><\/p>\n At Medical Ambassadors International (MAI) we build relationships with the world\u2019s most vulnerable people and together we work to heal communities both physically and spiritually. At present MAI works in 2,674 communities around the world impacting directly or indirectly a population of over 3.08 million people in 75 countries with 52,442 volunteers. In many of the areas served by MAI, woman and girls experience physical and\/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence. Creating change in the cultural norms of these areas requires tackling religious, social, and economic issues. Teaching about healthy boundaries in these communities is crucial to decrease the trauma often felt by affected woman.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/dev.reliantcreative.org\/medical-ambasadors\/old-site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/our-approach4-1.jpg\")
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