Relating Well - To Others, To God

This morning I read an eNewsletter produced from one of my clients. It had a real impact on me regarding how I relate to others as well as to God. I gained his permission to share it with you. Here it is in its original form:

Yesterday as I was cycling along the canal path deep in thought, I suddenly heard a slap-splashing sound off to my left. I turned and caught sight of one of those really fascinating sights one is afforded occasionally in nature. A column of fish was erupting out of the otherwise glassy surface of the canal. They were small fish, maybe 6 inches long and about half that wide. For the second or two that I could see them before going past, there was a steady and very defined- about two feet in diameter - column of these fish leaping straight up and falling back into the water. It was one of those situations where you would love to hear someone say: "...and now for the rest of the story!" I would guess that there was something threatening the fish from below, and they were simply trying to escape by the shortest route possible. Sadly for them, they still ended up exactly back where they started from since none of them were flying fish!
 
As I cycled on along the path my thoughts stayed on the scenario I had just witnessed. It reminded me of a session we do on loving listening in our Sharpening Your Interpersonal Skills workshops. In this session we talk about watching for "bubbles" from those we seek to minister to by listening well. These "bubbles" indicate that there is something hidden deeper within the person that could be very helpful to talk through. When we show loving interest and carefully draw them out, we can live out what is taught in the Bible about ministering to one another. This is a skill that all of us as followers of Christ should seek to sharpen and use on a consistent basis since almost everyone we know needs someone to talk to occasionally.
 
Another thought came to mind. Those poor fish were not escaping by jumping straight up out of the water. In fact they were ending up exactly where they started, having expended a great deal of energy and having accomplished nothing. In our lives, we too can make a poor choice and react in exactly the wrong way when we are faced with a problem or threat - or even an opportunity. How often do we burn up a lot of energy - emotional, physical, mental or even spiritual energy - doing something that accomplishes absolutely nothing. In some cases we are simply following those around us. "Hey everyone else is jumping, must be the thing to do!" And in some cases, we actually can end up in worse problems. (What if there had been sea-gulls around?)
 
I am reminded over and over how easy it is for us to think that the Christian life is  all about expending energy for God and hoping that we are doing the right thing and that we will get some kind of results.  Is that what our Lord Jesus Christ taught us while He was here on earth? I don't think so. But we have to do something don't we? And it is sometimes impossible to tell what is the best thing to do... so as long as we are doing our best, God will bless our efforts right? Again, I wonder if we have missed the center of the mark if this is what we think and live out.  Jesus' discourse on the night He was betrayed would seem to be one passage of scripture among many which indicates that rather than jumping around like fish in a canal, we are to remain connected to Christ, empowered and guided by His Holy Spirit and in close communion and fellowship with our fellow believers. Then there will be fruit produced that will last. Not because of what we are doing, but because of what He is doing through us.
 
Putting it another way, our Christian life is more about properly responding to the Spirit's work in our lives than it is about reacting to the opportunities and threats that surround us. It is more about relationship with Him than it is about responsibility to Him. We may not be able to address all the opportunities that surround us, and we may not be able to avoid all the threats that lurk waiting to harm us, but with the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father has sent in Jesus' name, we can know what we need to know and be who we need to be. And He will help us remember the words Jesus left us with "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful."

Our ability to relate to others and to God has a direct impact on our ability to Serve Strong!

This was written by Vic Flaming. The Flamings serve with the International Training Partners (a global network of facilitators, and trainers from more than eighty organizations. They serve together in an informal partnership to provide practical, interactive, biblical training in interpersonal relationships for Christian workers.) The Flamings are currently serving in Singapore.

Comments

[Reverend Matthew Whitten D.D.]

I have never found it draining to be in the service of our Lord and Master. When he calls for us to do, we do. It's when we question that we become drained, if one follows the path that He has left for us, we find solice in His words and in His deeds. The miracles surround us are awe inspiring. Daily and many times in a day I can look out a window when I am indoors, and see the life He left for us. I see the trees, the grass, the flowers and all the creatures great and small. I also see man which He carved in His image, this brings back the energy and life we should all be able to see. Too often we are dragged down because of what man has done, you have to look past that to see what our Father has done, not what mess we try to make of His beaty that He gave so freely for all to share.