DAY 9 | Developing Healthy Relationships

So far in our discussion of how to live like Jesus, we’ve shared how Jesus depended on the Holy Spirit and how He also displayed devotion to God. Today, I want to express the next practice of Jesus that still applies to us today:

Jesus Developed Health Relationships.

God at His core is relational. The Trinity itself (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) represents perfect relationship. God did not create us to get something, but to give something… love.

We are created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). Therefore, we also are relational. This life was not meant to be lived alone. Christianity was not meant to be experienced alone.

In His earthly ministry, Jesus did many things: He spoke to crowds, performed miracles, and healed the sick. However, a majority of His time was spent investing in His twelve disciples. Out of those twelve, He developed even closer friendships with Peter, James, and John. Outside of the disciples Jesus also developed healthy friendships with people like Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (John 11). Everywhere Jesus went, He showed people how to love one another.

In what’s known as the Last Supper, Jesus shared a meal with His disciples. However, before the meal started, He did something crazy. He washed the disciples’ feet. This job was reserved for the lowest of low servants, yet Jesus demonstrated His love for the disciples through expressed humility in this act of service. After washing the feet of His disciples, Jesus shared the following command:

John 13:34-35
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

As Christians, our relationships should be defined and described by love. In fact, in the New Testament, there are over 50 verses known as the “one another” passages. For example, we’re called to forgive one another (Colossians 3:13), encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18), and pray for one another (James 5:16). The early church understood this idea of loving one another, and it was described this way:

Acts 2:42-46
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 

What do healthy relationships have in common? At Mission Grove, we believe healthy relationships share a common D.N.A.

Divine Truth

We study the Bible together. While the amount of Scripture and depth of discussion depends on the group, the Bible is the source of truth in our lives.

Nurturing Love

We believe loving God is best expressed through loving others. People won’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

Affirming Mission

As a church, we don’t simply meet for meeting’s sake. Rather, we long to encourage and spur one another on to follow and become more like Jesus. The best relationship go deep so that together we can go far.

Do you have healthy relationships in your life? Do you regularly show love for the people around you? Do you have a small group of people around you that you can share in divine truth, nurturing love, and affirming mission? Just as Jesus pursued healthy relationships around Himself, it is my prayer that you, too, will seek to develop the relationships in your life around the truths found in Scripture.