Over the past few weeks I have been preaching on
the subject of Healthy Relationships. Having the right people around us (and
being the right people) is crucial to our growth in our walk with Christ.
Proverbs 4:23 tells us "Above
all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it" Our
heart is shaped by the people that we allow to speak into it. Saying "Above
all else..." means it is a priority. Our heart needs to be protected
from unhealthy relationships which would misshape it, so why do allow the wrong
people to shape our hearts?
Parable-
Imagine that you are
incredibly hungry.
For some reason you haven't
been able to get any food or you have been sick and not able to keep any food
down.
You have no food in your
house.
What do you do?
When you are this hungry
and have no food to satisfy your hunger. Where would you go?
- To a friend who is also really hungry and has no food? It makes sense to go there because he understands how you feel when no one else can.
- The people that have food are annoying because they don't realise how hungry you are and what you are going through.
- Your hungry friends won't judge you for being hungry.
- They will reinforce that you’re ok to be hungry.
- They will help you come to terms with your hunger.
- They won't look down on you like your non-hungry friends might.
If this sounds just a bit
ludicrous, why do we do this with relationships?
If we were hungry we would
go to people who could feed us not those that are hungry as well. To be with
the hungry we need to have something to feed them with.
If we are feeling low
spiritually or relationally why do we go to people who are as hungry as we are?
Go to those that will feed
us. That's what the prodigal son did.
Show me your friends and I
will show you your future.
As someone tweeted the
other day "Align yourself with people who match
your destiny and not your history"
I want to be someone who shapes people's hearts in
a godly direction. What about you?
Great blog Jon, and a really good message for us all in our community. What you've been speaking on with regards what we listen too has been really encouraging; it's so easy to shoot for sympathy rather than get around people who'll help. Thanks for bringing this.
ReplyDeleteWith this said, I'm so thankful to the Lord for the friends that I have :) the same friends whom I go to when I am hungry, are the same friends who can come to me too when I am hungry :) there's always safety in the city of His godly counsel!
ReplyDeleteThis post reminds me of this verse which I had quoted to such a friend:
2 Corin 8:12-14
And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago;
but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have.
For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.
I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality.
--
we are a blessing to the multitudes :) we have what others don't, and others have what we don't..our differences is the trade of equality :)
And another about relationships which I come to realize is that, as much as we are eager to feed others, we have to be fed ourselves too from the Lord. We can only give what we have and for a healthy thriving relationship, Jesus alone is always our cornerstone - the source and sustainance :)
Thanks Pete.
ReplyDeleteThanks for those scriptures Maddyeline.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that as you get older your tastes change. Some food you used tv find satisfying no longer satiate your appetite looking for those new sources of food is an interesting journey. Loved the blog again. J
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment John. Always love to hear your wisdom.
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