26 Dec 3 Kinds of Relationships
Philippians 2:1-4 – So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Jesus means “God is salvation”. Christ means “anointed of God”. Jesus Christ lived roughly 2000 years ago with a mom, dad, brothers, and sisters. His resume is shockingly simple as he never wrote a book, held a political office, married a woman, became a father, owned a house, or traveled more than a few hundred miles from his poor, small, rural town.
Today, Jesus is the most towering figure in human history. More books are written about Him, paintings of Him, and songs for Him than anyone who has ever lived. We measure time by His life as B.C. (before Christ) and A.D. (“anno domini” which means “the year of the Lord”). The biggest holiday on earth is Christmas where, in addition to the few million people who claim to be Christians, the entire world stops to throw a birthday party for Jesus.
Unlike other religions which have a holy place as their headquarters, Christians have the Holy Person as their Head. Jesus is the only founder of any major world religion who claimed to be God, and Christians today fondly talk about having a personal relationship with Him.
What is the secret to Jesus’ success? He came to serve a selfish world. Because Jesus is the least selfish person, and most selfless servant who has ever lived, He is also the most beloved, respected, and trusted. His example shows us that there are three kinds of relationships:
- Selfish + Selfish = competitive relationship
- Selfish + Servant = cruel relationship
- Servant + Servant = close relationship
Which kind of relationship do you have with Jesus? What is the most common type of relationship you have with other people?
