The next Ripple is all about the many different types of relationships that can make this life so rewarding. Again, we were created by a God who is all about relationships. His capacity to love has no bounds and so He created us to need others and thrive when we invest our time, talents and treasures into developing all these kinds of connections. One of my favorite sayings is, “No man is an island,” and while we sometimes shy away from making deep ties with others, it is something we require if we truly want a fulling life. The truth is, in Heaven, we will all be one in Christ which means there is no getting away from being surrounded by others, so we might as well learn how to get along here, right? Seriously, being in all sorts of relationships adds to the joy of this world, so we must learn to be more mindful about how we are treating others, as well as how we allow them to treat us.
Relationships reveal a whole lot about the state of our hearts. If we are still “baby Christians,” we are still living a life that is, for the most part, all about “me.” Having unhealthy relationships should be a sign to us that we must work with God to grow up! It is easy to point the finger at the other person in that relationship, but the truth is, we can only change ourselves, not them…and even for this we need God’s help. So we must learn to look at the “man in the mirror” and surrender him or her, more and more to Jesus so He can show us how to be good friends to everyone God places in our lives.
<>< Peace, Diane
