Messiness in Our Relationships ~ Mike Tostrud

Staff, March 5, 2021

“Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the Law?”Jesus replied:  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the words of the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” ~Matthew 22:36-40

Relationships are both the heartbeat and the heartbreak of our lives. When they are functioning well they bring vitality, joy, and peace; when broken - they bring pain, confusion, and heaviness. I am far from a relationship expert. But I know the Bible is a great relationship guide! We are routinely encouraged to look at our heart because if it is pure, that will spill over into other areas of our life – especially relationships. In other instances, we are given insight into the qualities we should embrace for healthy relationships - patience, kindness, humility, forgiveness, grace, love to name just a few. They are beautiful words that, when put into action, can make for beautiful relationships. Other than the relationship we have with ourselves, our other relationships require a minimum of 2 people (often, they include many more). And everyone in the relationship must embrace these characteristics to achieve the ideal state. Pretty lofty isn’t it? While the Bible provides many examples of what contributes to a great relationship, it may be best defined by Jesus’s response to the Pharisee who asked - what is the greatest commandment?  Imagine the possibilities if each of us, and our world, embraced this teaching? I’m certain you see, as I do, an immediate remedy to challenges that plague us personally, nationally, and across the globe.

Gracious God, you gave us the guidebook but so often we look elsewhere for answers.  During this season, we pray you will bring us back to your word and its teachings. Help us absorb these truths. More importantly, help us live them so we might have healthy, safe, restorative relationships with you and others. We pray this not only for ourselves but for all your people. Amen.