Today, I want to talk with you about two types of relationships that sometimes get confused. Relationships are a vital part of all of our lives. When our relationships are prospering then we are prospering. When our relationships are challenged, then so is our lives.
The first relationship we want to discuss today is one betweenAdult Children Parent Relationship. You have probably heard it said to “Honor our mothers and fathers.” and for children to “Obey their mothers and fathers.” This is where some people get confused. Honoring and obeying are not the same thing. When we are adults, we don’t have to obey our parents, we have to honor them. Honor does not mean doing everything our parents want. Honor means supporting them. Honor means listening to them. Honor means not forgetting them. Honor means respecting them. Honor means sharing our lives with them. Honor means taking care of them if they need help. Honor means being a friend to them. Honor means…LOVING THEM!
The second relationship we want to talk about today is Brother to Brother or Sister to Sister. Now, I am not talking about siblings. All of us need friends of the same sex. We need those nights playing basketball with the guys or those chats with the girls. There are times that it is more comfortable sharing and discussing certain topics with someone of the same sex. Many times they will understand more clearly where you are coming from then someone of the opposite sex.
Relationships: The power to focus our lives. Let me leave you today with a story. One day, a lady (let’s call her Sally), her husband, and their youngest son walked into a McDonald’s restaurant. The couple was looking forward to spending some quality time alone with their son. As they were waiting in line for their food, all of a sudden all the people around them began to back away. Even Sally’s husband backed away. Turning to see what all the commotion was about, Sally saw something she was not expecting. A sickening smell enveloped her. Directly behind her were two homeless men. The poor men probably had not bathed in days. One of the homeless men was smiling. He said, “Good day.” He was counting the few coins he had in his possession. Sally noticed that his companion was mentally handicapped. Sally realized that this kind man had taken his companion under his wing.
When the two men got to the counter, they ordered only a coffee. It was all they could afford. All they wanted was to come in out of the cold. In order to sit in the restaurant they had to order something. The two men got their coffee and found a place to sit.
Compassion filled Sally’s heart. She ordered two more breakfasts and walked up to the two men. Sally set down the tray and laid her hand on the first man’s hand. He looked up with tears in his eyes and said, “Thank you.” Sally looked at the man and with a heart full of love said, “I did not do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope.” Let us all give more hope today in all our relationships.