Spirit is the unifying force of the world. It is the energy that unites hydrogen and oxygen to make water as well as the energy that brings two people together for a purpose. As Spirit brings people, especially potential spirtual partners, into our lives it is important to be conscious of the context in which they come because it lays the foundation for the entire relationship. We should first be thankful for the human gift Spirit has brought into our lives and secondly, we should lay the proper foundation for the edification of that relationship in the same way you would get a vase with water for a gifted rose. To be honest, if it weren't for Facebook, many of us wouldn't talk to half the people we called friends in college because most of those relationships were based on convenience and coincidence instead of commitment. These are the 3 context that I have observed in the beginning stages of relationships of all types: romantic, friendly, and filial.
1. Convenience
Convenience is neither bad nor good, however it is the weakest foundation to build a lasting relationship on among the three. I have had relationships based on convenience where the person lived close or we worked closely together. Even long distant relationships can be convenient. The question to ask is how committed to this relationship would I be if it were inconvenient?
2. Coincidence
Coincidence happens when two people have a lot in common or meet in an unexpected way (ie "We bumped into other 3 times in the last week." or "Our mother's were born on the same day". It is the same force that brings best friends together on non-romantic terms. It often means that the two people are on parallel paths which is great, however that is not enough. Coincidence oftentimes gets interpreted as compatibility, and has a tendency to lead to romance even though that may not be Spirit's intention for the relationship.
3. Commitment
Lastly is commitment. Even if the relationship begins because of convenience or coincidence, it is important to cement the foundation with commitment, for it is the strongest of them all. Commitment characterizes Spirit's unconditional loving relationship to us. Though convenience or coincidence may be the context which draw us to Spirit, at some point we each have to make a personal commitment to Spirit. The same is expected of us in our romantic relationships.
Commitment transcends convenience and coincidence. Whether love is inconvenient or coincidence is absent, commitment is everlasting. With the exception of our relationships with Spirit and perhaps our parents, commitment is rarely the starting point, therefore we should be aware of how our relationships begin, consider which ones we want to commit to, and then pour love into those relationships. Love is commitment in action.
0 comments