Be Transformed by the Renewing of Your Mindنموونە

Healthy Relationships

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

—Matthew 22:37­–39 (NIV)

If there is one thing that human beings tend to have in common, it is that we long to find the right companions and form relationships that are meaningful to us. It is rare to find people who truly desire to be completely alone all the time, perhaps because God has created us to have companionship—family, friends, spouses, coworkers, and others who are within our sphere of influence. From the beginning of our creation, humans have been created to enjoy good, godly connections with others that build us up, encourage us, and give us opportunities to be a blessing as we are blessed. Scripture is clear that we are to love God with all our heart and to love our neighbors, as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39).

If there is one word that sums up how we can successfully love the people in our lives, it is authenticity. This isn’t just being ourselves; it is being the true, born-again self that God intends us to be when we are in Christ. This means being all the things that God has described us to be in Galatians 5:22­–23 as He talks about the fruit of the Spirit—being genuine, honest, loving and kind, peaceful, patient, virtuous, full of godly joy and faith. Being authentically ourselves in Christ means living out our Christlike attributes.

As we live as Christ intends, we begin to find it easier to make good decisions about how we interact with others in our relationships. This Christ-like authenticity stems from the godly, biblical belief systems we hold about ourselves and other people. Transforming our thinking so that we are dominated by loving behavior toward ourselves and others is so valuable. It is what empowers us to create the godly beliefs and Christlikeness that will allow us to show forth His light, be our best selves, and be blessed in our relationships.

Decide today to be authentic and Christlike with others. Daily read the Bible and add to your godly characteristics.

Three godly affirmations for today:

I AM Christlike with others. I AM kind. I AM honest.