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Game Plan for New or Renewed Relationships
I dedicate myself to lots of quality time and genuine effort to make our relationship work. Living by the golden rule toward my partner or friend is essential—I will try to give more to the relationship than I take. I refuse to rush the relationship into physical intimacy too soon—I will love them as God wants me to, not to see what I can get from them. Each day, I will ask God to help me see something of value in my partner so I can see the unique person God is helping him/her become. |
One of the most feared phrases for last minute Christmas shoppers is, “Some Assembly Required.” It’s strange that in a society which craves instant everything, more and more of what we buy comes with this dreaded tag. “Some Assembly Required.” We’ve gotten used to it. While we may grumble or complain, we still buy the products because it’s supposed to make them less expensive. Besides, when you do last minute Christmas shopping, there’ no one who has time to put the thing together anyway. “Some Assembly Required.” That’s just another way of saying, “Ain’t going to be any sleep for me on Christmas Eve!”
If people came to us with tags on them, I’m sure they’d come with the same tag: “Some Assembly Required.” The friends we make and the marriage partners we chose are all flawed almost as much as we are. Yet for some strange reason, what we tolerate in toys, outdoor furniture, and a host of other things, we do not tolerate in relationships.
We don’t want to expend any effort to make our relationships work. They have to be “magic.” We expect our friends and partners to meet OUR needs and fulfill OUR dreams. If we don’t get it, then we quit it. We trade our current friend or partner in on a “newer model.” After awhile, when euphoria of newness wears off again, we repeat the cycle. We want instant relationships—none of this “Some Assembly Required” stuff for us!
Deep down, however, we know these kinds of relationships are not going to have any depth or staying power, but what can you do? After all, isn’t this how everyone else treats everyone else? NO! In Jesus, we learn that “Some Assembly IS Required” with any meaningful relationship. So let’s make a gameplan to put together our relationship in a way that is honorable and helpful and enduring!
In this special time of year, let’s remember that the greatest gifts can’t be purchased or rushed. The greatest gifts are the people God brings into our lives. They are much more important than toys, so let’s not give up on them even when “Some Assembly is Required.”
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you…and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us.” —Ephesians 4:32-5:2
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