Translating a World on the Edge

We filter the world through our personal experiences with people and events. Everything that happens to us in a relationship or an event is filed away in our brains, and then re-used in interpreting and reacting to other people and events.

Experiences we have with our parents affect the way we see our world today, and especially later on.

Friends influence us for better or worse.

And our children–I think–often teach us to be courageous. We  stand up for them, nurse and nurture them. We find ourselves to doing things for them we wouldn’t necessarily do if we didn’t love them.

Personal relationships affect all of us. Some relationships may not be so good. Some may be wonderful. But whatever they are, we learn and grow from them. People influence people. That’s a fact.

It’s become standard to talk about a personal relationship with Jesus. What a wonderful influence He is! The life of Christ truly shows us The Way.

How did He relate with His earthly parents, Mary and Joseph? With friends, with enemies, with sinners and saints? There are so many lessons to be learned from Him in those relationships!

The next time we have relationship questions or problems we should consider Jesus’s relationships. They provide the answer. And we certainly should be sure our children know all about Him.

Growing up, my parents and grandparents usually added the word ‘Sweet” to His name. So that’s what I used as a child when I spoke or thought about Him: “Sweet Jesus.”

I think the adjective adds a lot to a child’s perspective. Someone ‘sweet’ is someone to whom a child will easily talk to, ask questions of, or simply love.

This is the sort of relationship we want with our God, isn’t it?

We want to be able to talk to Him. Ask questions of Him. Simply love Him.
If you haven’t already, try talking to Him. Ask questions of Him. He will respond in the most curious ways–and then–and this is a promise– you’ll have no problem at all simply loving Him.