Relationships are important because love is important. Love is God’s idea, and the main ingredient for a healthy relationship. God is love, but He wanted someone to love so He made us, and He made us in His image so we could have the capacity to love back. This is why relationships are everything.
But He started it. “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). He got this whole thing going with you and me on this spinning planet. We haven’t had a whole lot to say about it except to believe it or not believe it, and then decide whether or not to participate. Love does.
So what does love do? Love does not just sit there like a block of Swiss cheese, it has an object, and it has to do something. In the case of God and His love for us, He sent His one and only son into the world as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. According to John (1 John 4:7-10), “this is how God showed His love among us.”
That’s what God did to show love for us. He gave up His son who died for us. No one has greater love, Jesus taught, than to die for his friends. And in so doing, He set an example for us as to what love is and does. Love sacrifices. It gives up. As Jamie Owens-Collins sang in her beautiful song, “Charity,” about 1 Corinthians 13, “Jesus, reduce me to love.” How are we “reduced” to love? Similar to Jesus, who was reduced by coming to earth as a human being, humbling Himself and dying for us; we are reduced by being humbled in our pride, by giving up our selfishness, and by considering our own needs as less significant than the needs of others … that’s what love does. (Note: Hear “Charity” on our new radio station, Music that Matters. See the links below.)
None of this is a nice-to-do. Love is so much more than a good idea. This isn’t a plan for how to get the most out of life; it’s the reason for life itself. A loving relationship with God and with each other is why we are here. Miss this and you miss everything. This is why relationships are everything.
John Fischer The Catch 
Of course I agree with Today’s Catch, yet didn’t the Apostle Paul write: (a Mark’s paraphrase) to get along with everyone as well as you can, but not everyone is agree-able-especially on Facebook, LOL 🙂
Mark – you-re right, not everyone is agreeable. But even Paul addressed his accusers with respect, making a positive comment about them (Pharisees, temple leaders, Festus, Agrippa, the crowd in Athens…) In my work with teens, I learned to find a ‘positive’ to say about anyone I had to make a negative comment to. or about. In CMA we called it ‘Earning the right to speak.’ I know I fall short in that category even now…but thank God the Lord cuts me off before I do too much damage. As I used to tell the teens in my youth group, “You need to cut the other person the break that God has cut you. Once we receive that free gift of grace, we are honor-bound to bring it to everyone at every opportunity.
Blessings to you and yours as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior.
Sandy i like what you said “you need to cut the other person the break that God has cut you” if more people did this there would be a lot less arguing and fights. bless you for your comment.
Excuse me Sandie I could be wrong I often am, yet don’t recall saying I don’t “…. cut the other person the break that God has cut you.” Which I call replying with using people skills, that I consider using respect or as Proverbs says a gentle word turns away wrath…
PS but thank-u for you comments, appreciate them & you…
Mark – I never said that you didn’t extend the same grace you received, and I apologize for making you feel that I did – it was not my intention. I was just stating what I tried to teach my teens and how I sometimes struggle myself. For my part, I always appreciate your comments and encouragement. A blessed Christmas to you brother!
A blessed Christmas to you & yours…. ❤