Now that I’m much more awake to living life as the creation God originally made me to be, I find myself realizing how important relationships are. The idea we need to earn relationships is a genuine lie. The class I’m leading on Sunday mornings called Mending the Soul brings this out so clearly. Those of us who lived through childhood abuse often think we have to earn our way into people’s lives because we have thought we weren’t valuable or else we wouldn’t have been chosen to be abused. This does make sense when one simply thinks about it. But, the reality is that God never made any of us to need to earn the right to be in relationship to Him or with one another.

My oldest daughter and her family are living here for a few days until their occupancy certificate is issued–likely today. I have filled my time with them helping them move, helping fix meals, taking care of my own place, etc. Not once have I sat down and had a nice conversation with any of them–kids or adults. As I was reading in Luke this morning I’ve realized just how much time Jesus spent conversing with His disciples and the ones following Him. Yes, what He did for them was helping them, but He was getting to know them as well–building lasting relationships. My mind has been focused on helping them get moved and cared for and I needed to be awakened to a more important reality.

I needed this reminder this morning. Taking just a moment to check in with them to see how they are doing is far more important than the physical side of moving.