Relationship Goals

I think we over complicate most of what we do.  Something that should be simple we make complicated by overthinking. The best example of this is our relationship with others.  Think back to middle school or high school when you wanted to be friends with the “cool kids”.  You might have gone out of your way to impress them or to get noticed by them.  Instead of seeking out those who would be good for us we went looking for friendships that were temporary and surface level just for what came along with it. The kind of relationship that last are those that get past the surface. They are the kind of relationships that are between people who care to get to know you for who you are and want to be your friend not for what it brings to them. 

In my experience, there are two types of friendships. The first is passive, meaning that there is little to no effort that is put in.  These are the people who are your friend when it is convenient but not around when you need them.  They love you when you can provide something for them but can’t be found when the shoe is on the other foot.  The second relationship is more personal and is the kind of relationship that has meaning. This is the kind of relationship that involves people who are there for each other and care.  This is an unconditional relationship where the passive relationship comes with many conditions. 

I would venture to say that most people would say that they want to be the kind of person others can depend on. We want to be the kind of person who has a personal relationship with others but many times we are more passive in the way we interact with others.  We have good intentions of being the best of friends with others but when it comes down to it we put conditions on our relationship.  We say things like this… “If they really wanted to hang out they would call me.” Or “If they give me something for Christmas then I will get them something.”  We put up our guard so we don’t get hurt but in reality we are hurting others by being guarded. 

I think the way we interact with others has a lot to say about the way we probably interact with God.  The relationship we have with God determines the relationship we have with His children. If we don’t build a personal relationship with God we are probably not going to make the effort to do it with the people of this world. 

This week I challenge you to look at your relationship with God and with others. Are you a passive or personal friend?