Reflection: 

According to the doctrine of the Trinity, “Interpersonal relatedness belongs to the very being of God.” (Lesslie Newbigin) What does it mean to be created in God’s image? For our purposes, the image of God refers not so much in one individual, but to persons in relationship. 

Foundational to our constitution as human beings is being related to other people. We are relational beings. 

Some Christian songs say that God is all we need. But that isn’t true. Before God created Eve, was Adam alone? You could say, in truth, God was with him. Yet, God still says he was alone. What does that mean? It means God created us, as relational beings, to need other people. By God’s design, God is not all that we need. We are created for community. 

We are designed to give love to, and receive love from, other people. We need these give-and-take relations of love with other people. Embracing this truth is essential for spiritual resilience.  

Embracing this truth potentially expands or reorients our trajectory towards maturity. Growing in Christ-like maturity includes growing in friendliness, listening, servanthood, interpersonal communication, and emotional maturity. The true measure for growing in godliness is loving people well.  

Prayer: 

Father, where individualism has coloured my thinking, I am sorry. By your Spirit and through your word, would you reconfigure my thinking to the way that you think. Above all, Lord Jesus, I desire to be like you, so as I grow in Christlikeness would you help me to excel in loving people well?