I’m not one to make New Year’s Resolutions, however, I do like to reflect on the past year and take note of things that could use change or improvement. There is always something refreshing about facing a New Year and the prospect of making changes.
Relationships are probably something that all of us could work on. In I John 3:16 it says that we know love by the fact that Christ laid down His life for us. How are we to respond to that? We are to lay down our lives for others.
Although it could happen, it isn’t likely that what we are being asked to do is to die for someone else…at least not physically. However, there is a spiritual death that can happen as we consider important relationships in our lives.
What can you lay down for others? Perhaps it is your pride, fear, your need to be right or to be heard. There are probably a number of things that could be listed here. But we have to look deep within ourselves to determine what that is for us.
Not only should we be laying our lives down for others, but we should be planting seeds into our relationships. Relationships can’t grow unless we are putting something into them that will allow for growth. What can you plant into your relationships?
Investing in relationships requires time, selflessness, dedication, loyalty and a number of other things. Consider the ways that you can plant seeds into your relationships.
There may be specific relationships that are especially difficult. Decide that in 2011 you are going to do everything you can to lay down your life for that relationship. You are gong to plant seeds into that relationship. You are going to really invest in that relationship.
— Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. I John 4:11
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