The Bright Side of Relating
Connectedness – Part 2

Scripture Reading:  Ephesians 6:1-9

Key Verse: Ephesians 6:4

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

After our first connecting point with parents, we soon recognize others in our circle.  Brothers and sisters become factors in our connectedness.  In some families, our siblings are major points of warm connections.  For others, siblings are points of friction, especially in the younger years.  Often our siblings become better connecting points after everyone is out of the home of origin.  Let God lead you to the level of connectedness that makes sense in your situation.

            Our spouses are normally the third points of connectedness.  God intended for us to form a new family and start the cycle over again.  Most of us want to improve the positive effects of this connection point.  We experience some of the negative influences of family and feel determined to do better in our family.  This effort honors God.  He knows how critically important the family unit is to our overall emotional health.

            It is easy to see these connection points as optional in our lives, but our energy and happiness depend on our ability to have positive experiences in relating to our relations!  Read Malachi 2:13-16 and see how God values long term relationships.  The people were breaking the covenants (faith) of their youth.  God was not happy with their lack of effort to stay connected.

Father, I am determined to stay connected with those in my family and enjoy the life you give through them.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.