Relationships Matter
Discovering the Riches of Relationships
25. And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tempted Him saying, “Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
26. He said to Him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”
27. And He answering said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”
28. And He said to him, “You have answered right; do this and you shall live.”
Luke 10:25-28
Learning to Value People
Whether we recognize it or not, people are becoming more and more self-centered and conceited. It has gotten to the point where our culture embraces “every person for themselves.” Relationships have become obsolete. Yet everyone has a desire to become prosperous. Such an idea of being rich but self-centered makes no sense. The whole notion of prosperity through selfish gain would be to splurge them or at least brag about them to friends and associates. That is a poor basis for friendship, but nonetheless, it focuses on people. Not so with this culture. This generation is becoming more disconnected when it comes to relationships. People in our day don’t value people and that leads to disaster.
What does the Bible teach about relationships? The Bible not only embraces relationships, but places it on a scale of God’s commandment. It is so serious that your eternal life depends on it. I would say that is pretty important and valuable. The fact is, people need each other. That is the way God designed it and humanity cannot achieve the goal of success without it. We must all learn to value people. The poet John Donne wrote a meditation in 1624 that best describes the value of relationships. This is his poem, For Whom the Bell Tolls.
No man is an island, entire of itself, every man is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were. As well as if a manor of thy friend’s,
Or of thine own were: Any man’s death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in mankind, And therefore never send to know,
for whom the bell tolls, It tolls for thee.
The Scripture text reveals the Divine Perspective on Relationships. Please note that Jesus conversation with the scribe reveals a deep truth about relationships. We must first have a devoted connection with God; without a deep and abiding love for God, there is no true commitment to care for others. So let us take a closer look at the conversation between Jesus and the scribe (teacher of the Law) regarding what it takes to have eternal life.
While the motive of the lawyer was questioned, his answer to Jesus was on point. If people are going to live on the level of eternal life, they must love God with everything they have and in everything they do. Jesus said to the lawyer, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” The lawyer responded, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” The lawyer made it sound so simple and yet, on this Truth hangs all the Law and the Prophets. Everything in life depends on loving the Lord God with everything that is in you and loving your neighbor as yourself. Note again, this was the answer for a person who was seeking eternal life. In summary, it was all about right relationships. It was all about valuing God and valuing people. Just to be clear on the fact that we cannot earn eternal life for it is a gift of God. Notice the question, “Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” It is God that grants eternal life. Yet there is a responsibility on our part to possess a loving relationship with both God and other people.
Why Do Relationships Matter?
With the onslaught of COVID-19, there was something very troubling that went deeper than the pandemic. With all the technology and intellectual developments of our age, people still don’t know how to love each other. As the plague swept over the world, the plague of hatred flourished as well. Racism, nationalism, and religious separatism reached new levels. Rather than building societies that would support life on this planet, these clashes made it ever so clear that humans are on a path of self-destruction. It was everything except love your neighbor as yourself. Such attitudes of hatred, bigotry, and intolerance drove wedges between people of differing backgrounds as practically every nationality was screaming, “my life matters.”
Here are the problems with many of these modern movements, and it goes back to this scribe’s attitude when he asked Jesus the big question. And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tempted Him saying, “Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” The first problem is hidden motives. The man asked Jesus but rather than being for real with Jesus, his intention was to trap The Lord into saying something false or questionable. We often use the same “devilish approach” when we confront people. Rather than trying to understand them, our goal is often to prove that others are wrong. If you stop and think about it, while the “lives matters” movement was asking the right questions, the subtle agenda was an attempt to get other people to admit that they were wrong. It may have been true that others were wrong, but building healthy relationships requires a collaborative approach. Somewhere, some way, and somehow, people have to sit down together and work out differences. Other wise the fight will go on. Yes, relationships matter, but they must start with God.
The second problem the lawyer presented was his knowledge did not match his actions. He knew the right answers but did not practice what he possessed. Right knowledge must be followed with right actions. Jesus did not answer the man to give him a passing grade for his wisdom. No, Jesus answered the man by requiring that he act on what he knew. And He (Jesus) said to him, “You have answered right; do this and you shall live.” While the lawyer had hidden motives, Jesus commended him for his right answer but then challenged him to live it out. This too speaks volumes of our modern culture. It is a culture that is good at coming up with right answers but doing nothing about it. The pandemic drove home that point. While everyone should have and could have worked together to protect and care for one another, our educated society got into embroiled arguments over a piece of cloth over their face. How pathetic and yet typical of people who want a lot but fail to do anything. I get it that people love freedom, but if my love for freedom causes me to offend my brother, according to the Bible, I must choose another approach. That is what Jesus would call “loving others as you love yourself.”
This highlights the third problem in valuing relationships. Not only do people have problems putting right into action and have hidden motives, but people do not place relationships with people on the level of Heavenly Mission. This one strikes the Church. It is impossible for sinners to love people as their Heavenly Mission. They simply don’t have it in them. Yet, this mandate was given to the Church. Loving people as we love ourselves is God’s Plan for eternal living. Jesus said to the lawyer, “if you do this, you will live the eternal life.” Eternal life is not something you simply talk about, you live it. Here is where the disconnect occurs. People find it easy to engage in “praise and worship” but find it hard to sit down and have a decent conversation even in their own family. Folks can sing and say how they love Jesus and yet post on Facebook how they hate their neighbors. Again, this is the criticism of “Church folk.” Jesus said to the lawyer, your answer was right, but you cannot leave it at that. Put this thing into practice. Do what you say, and you shall live the eternal life.
The Rewards of Right Relationships
Not only do relationships matter as our responsibilities, but relationships matter when it comes to rewards. Many of us assume that “eternal life” begins when this life is over. That teaching is false according to this Scripture. Jesus brought out a wonderful and fulfilling truth on “Eternal Life” that has a direct impact on relationships. First, putting love into action provides instant rewards. When we love God with all we have, God instantly rewards us with His presence, His peace, and His provisions. God rewards faithfulness in order to give us His abundant life. The same is true about loving your neighbor. This means we are actively drawing upon God’s power and provision. Our willingness to share is a demonstration of God’s goodness operating in our life. That is God’s eternal life.
Second, putting love into action is Kingdom business. To love our neighbor is not a human agenda, but a God agenda. Love is what God gives but it is also what God expects of every soul that is operating under His Power and Authority. This is eternal life. Each time we love, we are demonstrating that God is operating in our life. What better way to love God with everything we have by showing that His love is extended to our neighbor. This is eternal life in action.
Lastly, loving God and loving others is proof of Heavenly citizenship. We often think of eternal life as being in Heaven. Let’s look at our eternal life as a passport that allows us to operate in this world. We could also use the analogy as a work visa, where people are permitted to work and live in another country while holding their citizenship in their home country. Their plans are to go back home when the visit is concluded or when the work is completed. In our case, God has temporarily assigned the believer in this world. We still have His eternal life, but our assignment is for a specific duty and for a designated time. The best way to demonstrate that we love God is to give Him our all in love. Our actual assignment is to take that same love and share it with our neighbor. In that we achieve our two-fold purpose. We give God glory and at the same time, we share love with those we come in contact with. As Jesus shared this with the lawyer, you and I have a command to share this with the world. Do this and you shall live.”