Unseen Anatomy - Emotionally Healthy Relationships
Speaker: CJ Cody
Read: Mathew 22:34-40, Acts 2:42-47
Contrary to popular opinion, we do need each other. As Christians, we are commanded to love God and to love one another. The early church gives us a perfect picture of believers daily engaging in the Word, prayer, eating together and fellowship. It demonstrates that loving people requires spending time with them and is not a fantasied thought or an intangible goal.
By nature, we have different personalities and various reasons we use for staying away from people. And it is true that love in practice can be frightening and sometimes feels like loving God is easier than loving others. But they are connected and we must push past our discomforts and make a concerted effort to do the necessary work to build loving relationships.
Building relationships requires the development and exercise of certain skills. We must become comfortable with “speaking up” and expressing our true thoughts and feelings; “shutting up” and humbly and genuinely listening to what others have to say. And we must be willing to “show up” as our authentic selves and allow others to see and love the real you. When this happens, the world is impacted by seeing God’s people loving not only one another, but others in general, and thereby fulfilling the Royal Law.
GROUP QUESTIONS:
1. What resonated with you as you listened to this sermon and reviewed it?
2. Why do we sometimes find it hard to love people? What keeps us away from them?
3. It was said that fear does not excuse us from what God has called us to do. What does this mean to you with regard to loving people?
4. When do you find it difficult to “speak up” or to “shut up?” Why?
5. It was said that Jesus was a lion and a lamb. What does that tell you about how He communicated in relationships? What can we learn from His example?
6. Code-switching is defined as the act of changing our language, behavior or mannerisms based on who we are with. In what circumstances have you found yourself code-switching? For what reasons?
7. How do you think the failure to honesty communicate our thoughts and feelings with others hinders the development of genuine relationships?
