Relationships that Define a Man
Aug. 06, 2020 .3 min read
Luke 10:27: And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
Every man is defined by three relationships; relationship with God, relationship with self, and relationship with people. Each of these relationships tell a lot about who he/she is, what he/she does and who he/she is going to be.
We all come from different backgrounds, and as a result, have different inherent abilities/traits. We also grow up with different initial temperaments. Yet, there is only so much these inherent abilities/traits can do. The three relationships will dictate how well any man harnesses these things.
It’s also glaring that we do not get to ultimately determine the environment in which we find ourselves. Until a certain time, which most times result from a job or marriage, our environment is largely dictated by our parents or guardians. This environment includes the neighborhood, schools, Christian denomination, etc. Again, this environment can only act as much as a man allows.
These relationships are vital, God orchestrated them. And they do not yield results by reflex, there is a great need to be intentional. These relationships have the tendency to dictate the quality of our lives in the long run. Again, nothing happens by default. Our lives are our responsibilities!
Relationships are what we make of them. It is what you give into them that you get. They don’t happen overnight, and they don’t happen mistakenly. The first encounter might be unplanned, but the remaining days will definitely require intentional efforts.
Luke 6:38: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
The scripture above doesn’t only apply to money. It’s a bedrock for a lot of things, including relationships with younger ones, elders, colleagues, or fiance. A wise man said, “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly…” Prov.18:24
Love is the first resource I tag as important in relationships. It is what fuels all other resources. If this is lacking, the giving of all other resources will either be forced or be hypocritical. God loves a cheerful giver, so given any resource grudgingly into our relationships rub us of the harvest we could get from them.
Asides love, time, thoughts, care, prayers, materials, finances, etc. are various resources we should commit to every relationship that is truly worth it in our lives. Is any relationship in your life beginning to fail? Check the quality and quantity of resources you have been committing to it. A man reaps what he sows.