READ Luke 10-:38-42

REFLECT

Have you ever had someone over for dinner, and felt exhausted afterwards? The business of cleaning the house and preparing the meal, coupled with the stress of entertaining can take so much of our focus, that we forget to prioritize the importance of our relationship with our guests. In the midst of the “doing”, we miss the conversation, laughter, memories, and relationship.

Mary and Martha are a picture of that tension. While Mary and Martha would both say that their relationship with Jesus was important, Mary was the one who chose to make that relationship a priority; the choice to be present. Martha on the other hand, chose to be busy.

Would you say that relationships are a priority in your life? Or would you say that your choice to be busy out ranks the choice to be present?

If you want to be FOR the people in your life and live out the great commandment of loving your “neighbor”, you need to make the time to be present; to be available and intentional.

Your relational priorities determine your relational capacity.

Your ability to prioritize relationships with your family, your friends, your co-worker, or neighbor, determines your ability to be FOR them. To be in their corner to connect with them.

People will know that God is FOR them, when they know that you are FOR them. When you choose to make the time to be relationally present. To be available and intentional, that’s when God shows up in your story, and in theirs.

Being FOR the people in my life is not about adding something to my to do list, but prioritizing the importance of relationships in my life.

BOTTOM LINE

Your relational priorities determine your relational capacity.

LIVE

In order to be present for the people I want to impact, it means that I need to prioritize them.

• Maybe my house isn’t as clean as I hoped, but I’m going to invite them over for coffee anyway.

• I was hoping to get some housework done, but my schedule may need to shift to help a friend with a project, or talk to a neighbor.

• It’s hard to find a free night, or a babysitter, so we can invite out a couple who need someone to talk to, but we’re going to try to make it work.

• I may need to give up a lunch break or a Saturday, but it’s worth it to build a friendship with someone who’s new to my neighborhood or my workplace.

The great thing about learning to be present FOR people is that it changes all of your relationships for the better. Your boyfriend or spouse, your kids, even your boss, could all use someone who is a little more present.

PRAY

God I want to be FOR the people in my life who need someone in their corner. I pray that you would speak to me about my need to prioritize relationships in my life, and give me the courage to make the choices I need to to make that happen.