Relational Ideal II

Rom.12 ^4-5 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, ⁵ so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.”

Everyone is born dependent, but God does not intend for us to remain that way. He wants us to move from dependence, to independence, and to interdependence. It is a horrible thing to be in a relationship where one person is suppressing the other person, keeping them from expressing their God given talents or giftings. A relationship where one person insists that others must be dependent on him or her is toxic. That is not God’s will. The key to life is not independence, the key to life is interdependence.

The phrase ‘one another’, ‘each other’, appears over fifty times in the New Testament and it speaks of interdependence. ‘Love one another,’ ‘Be patient with each other,’ ‘Forgiving one another’ – interdependence. We need one another in an interdependent way. Rom.12:⁵ “…We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.” The truth is, you cannot fulfill your God given purpose by yourself, no matter how gifted you are, no matter how wealthy you are, and no matter how anointed you are. The greatest lesson you can learn in life is how to love other people. However, the question on some minds right now is, why do I need other people? Some people believe they are lone rangers, one-man army. I will show you four reasons why you need others.

The first reason is, you need others to walk with you. Col.2:⁶ (NKJV) “As you, therefore, have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him“. The truth is, you are not meant to walk alone anymore. God does not want you to walk alone. What a lot of people discovered after they had gotten married is, marriage does not solve loneliness. You can be married and be lonely. You can be on the same bed with your spouse but still, feel as lonely as ever. Marriage does not solve loneliness. Marriage was put in place as a step in the direction to solve loneliness. But marriage, in itself, does not solve loneliness. The solution to loneliness is community, a Zambian proverb states, “If you walk alone, you walk fast. But if you walk together, you walk far.” If you want to go fast, go alone but you would not go far. We need each other, no one can run this race alone.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You for the gift of community. Teach me to truly love the people you have placed around me and walk with them, in Jesus Name. Amen!