Jesus Is Really into Relationships!

Love God, love neighbor, and love yourself. Jesus is really into relationships! Oftentimes, even if unintentionally, we put loving ourselves first, and because “we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves” (ELW, p. 95) we usually do a poor job of actually loving ourselves. This means we have less love to give to God and our neighbors. Jesus puts relationship with God first. He doesn’t do this to make us last but so that we can fully understand love and relationship the way God desires it for us.

Today’s readings give us insight into the ways God desires us to be in relationship: by being just in all our dealings with others, by not being led astray by the wicked, by sharing the gospel with humility and tender care, and by loving God and neighbor. It might sound simple, but relationships are far from simple. Even the best relationships include struggle.

People in our congregations struggle with relationships each and every day. Love should be an easy thing, but it takes work and effort to love God, love others, and love oneself. The psalmist uses the image of trees planted by streams of water to describe people who “delight in the law of the Lord” (Ps. 1:2). These are not weak, brittle, or dying trees; these are strong trees that prosper. Our faith plants us, nourishes us, and strengthens us to love.

How can we be like trees planted by streams of water? In what ways can the church help people to make and maintain healthy relationships? How do we encourage self-worth and humility? This is an excellent day to ask these questions, to create forums where answers can be discussed, and to remind one another how much God truly loves us.