Book Review: David Meengs Excelling in Relationships

Everyone is surrounded by relationships. First, and foremost with God, our Creator; then with others including family, friends, fellow workers, and casual acquaintances; and finally, ourselves.

David Meengs’s book, Excelling in Relationships, is a clear and simply written guide for daily Christian living and a biblical guide for solving and overcoming present and potential pitfalls that we all face at some time or another in our everyday interpersonal relationships.

Excelling in Relationships is suitable for both personal study and for group discussions. It is laid out in thirty-two short two-page lessons. Each lesson is backed by biblically related proof texts. A third page for each lesson is devoted to questions for further study and discussion, along with scriptural references that are relevant to the questions and lesson. Although the author does not state it, I’m sure he recognizes that there are times when a competent Christian counselor should be engaged for assistance in resolving deep-seated problems in relationships.

Throughout the lessons Meengs makes a strong argument for following Christ’s directions found in Matthew 25:35–40 for putting God first, others second, and then self. He also emphasizes the need to fix our own hearts through confession, forgiveness, and repentance before we can fix our own problems properly. The final lesson is devoted to a study of Psalm 23.

Some of the topics he covers include:

•Why and how you must forgive others

•Fear and worry stop relationships

•Addictions and idols

•Depression

•Tests, trials, and temptations

This book belongs on every Christian’s bookshelf. I heartily recommend it without reservation.

David Meengs, Excelling in Relationships.  Distributed by Reformed Fellowship, Inc.  104 pages, paperback, $6.99.

Mr. Gaylord J. Haan is a retired Christian school teacher and guidance counselor.