One of the most influential truths I’ve learned here concerns the purpose of all relationships with all people in general. Paul wrote, "…whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31). As my CLD teacher said, "relationships are something that we do." So the underlying purpose in all relationships is to bring glory to God. Through personal reflection I’ve been challenged to examine my motivations in each of the relationships I am in. Why am I doing [insert activity] with [insert name]? Over the last month this question has been a tremendous blessing.
On several occasions this question has caused me to remember that I am acting for God’s glory. A normal game of pool turns into a wonderful time of fellowship and an opportunity to shine God’s love into a person’s life. After accepting an invitation to skateboard with a good friend, we find ourselves having thrown our boards off to the side because of more important things we needed to talk about. One evening I found myself painting a large prop for the global ministries conference here at the school simply because I wanted to be with the people painting. Soon enough the question came back and I realized that I was doing it for the wrong reasons. When I shifted my focus to bringing glory to God, I very quickly discovered a need that I was equipped to meet. All the glory was given to God.
The principle that I would like to share with you is this: When we act in our relationships to bring glory to God, we begin to see the many opportunities that God has for us to minister. With the proper motivation in a relationship God reveals to us the needs that we can meet. It may be as simple as showing God’s love to someone through a smile and a cheerful greeting. When our focus is to bring glory to God, we begin to develop a genuine care and love for all people. This principle works for both believers and non-believers. Look at what Paul says to the Ephesians: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen" (4:29). Does this mean that every conversation has to be a spiritual conversation? By no means! This is the connection:
Attitude | Result |
Relationships to bring glory to myself, to make me feel good, to bring me joy and meet my needs | Unwholesome talk coming out of my mouth |
Relationships to bring glory to God | Building others up according to their needs (Eph. 4:29) |
Maybe a brother or sister in Christ needs the medicine of laughter. In such a situation you could build a person up simply by laughing with them, telling jokes or sharing "hi-larious" stories. Consider a brother or sister in Christ who just needs to feel the love of God. You could show God’s loving-kindness simply by caring for them when you ask how they are doing and what’s going on in their life. Both of these instances aren’t "spiritual" conversations, but they do build the person up according to their need and they bring glory to God because of this.
Another amazing reward of glorifying God comes through our personal relationship with Jesus. When we seek to glorify God in our relationships with others, we keep our focus on Christ. I am sure that at one time or another most of you have made an idol of other people. Idolatry in relationships happens in many different ways. I have made the mistake of seeking joy from others. I have made the mistake of looking to people to meet my needs. I have made the mistake of elevating a relationship in my mind to the rightful place of God. Israel made the same mistakes. The Lord declared through the prophet Jeremiah, "My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns that cannot hold water" (2:13). Notice that when we dig our own cisterns, or look for water from relationships, we also forsake God, the spring of living water. However, if we seek to glorify God in our relationships, our focus is on God. We are drinking from the spring of living water, Jesus Christ, while in our relationships we are pointing others to the spring of living water.
Imagine what the Body of Christ would look like if each member’s attitude was to bring glory to God together. Needs met, growth encouraged, unity, an accurate reflection of God’s power to the world, and most importantly, glory to God in the highest! The God whom we serve would be worshipped, praised, exalted, and revered.
Unfortunately, knowing this truth and doing it are two different things. Each and every child of God needs to function in relationship with a purpose of bringing glory to God. I encourage you to humbly examine yourselves before the Lord. What is your motivation in each of your relationships? With Mom, Dad, brothers in Christ, sisters in Christ, boyfriends and girlfriends, non-believers, and strangers. What about the people that you are currently in conflict with? I challenge you to always be asking yourself: Why am I doing [insert activity/conflict] with [insert name]? How would a determination to bring glory to God in all of your relationships help you grow?
If you would like to join me in cultivating a God-glorifying attitude in relationships, then take time each day this week to prayerfully read through Ephesians chapter 4. I would really like to get some great discussion going regarding the Body of Christ and relationships, so please comment and ask questions as the Spirit leads. I’d like to end with this verse:
"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love as each part does its work" (Eph. 4:15-16).
4 comments:
Thats a serious post man!
I agree with you on the subject of glorifying God through relationships. I've made the mistake in some of my relationships to be in it for the wrong reasons. I had one instance where I had to really change the whole direction of a relationship that I am currently in. My focus was not on building the other person up or on glory to God. So I had to go through some pretty rough months trying to straighten things out how they should be. There is still work to be done and there is always will be work to be done. I like this post!
What a great challenge! I think I'm going to write that down on a 3 x 5 card... I'm doing _____ with _____ because ______. So often I've done things with people for the wrong motive. I think it's time to stop and examine my motives and then act. 1 Cor. 4:5 came to mind as I was reflecting on this... "Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God." The context is talking about judging one another, and how even self examination can be inacurate. But the encouraging part was the last phrase of the verse... "At that time each will receive his praise from God." That kinda blows me away. I used to fear that in the judgment, God would post all my deeds (good and bad) on a big celestial'jumbotron'. But this passage doesn't say anything about condemnation; only about praise! That's grace!!! I know this may be going off on a tangent, but it's encouraging. And it only motivates me further to do things for the glory of God! He's sooo worth it!
That's a wonderful application, to write the question down on a 3 x 5 card. I really like 1 Cor 4:5. When the Lord comes He will bring to light the motives of our hearts. All of the attitudes and motivations we have in our relationships will be revealed. Think of how wonderful it will be to have had the motive of bringing glory to God in all of our relationships on that day. It's also interesting to think about the judging part of that verse. Judge nothing before that time, referring to the motives of men's hearts. The unfortunate reality is that many people will not seek to glorify God in their relationships with one another, yet we are not to condemn them, and we should even go as far as to refrain from making a decision about their heart or their motives. If we decide their motives we could easily be wrong and we could be hurt by our own judgment of that person. Instead we would be wise to judge nothing and wait for the Lord to reveal the motives of men's hearts. I would say that if put this into practice we will be able to love others more completely with the love that has been made complete in us through obedience (1 Jn. 2:5).
Wow! Thankyou soo much. I've really been strugling a lot lately with motives in my relationships and even other activities I'm doing. Truth is everything is to glorify God. It's good to have another reminder of that. Philippians 1:21 says, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." All of our actions as christians represent Christ. Thanks for the reminder...I really needed it.
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