Topic: Real Relationships Are Worth It [Joyce Meyer Devotional 2 August 2020]

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For I have given you this as an example, so that you should do [in your turn] what I have done to you.— John 13:15 (AMPC)

Jesus did not waste His time, so we can reasonably assume that everything He did was purposeful, meaningful, and contains something we need to learn. Let’s think about the time He decided to wash His disciples’ feet (see John 13:1–17). What do you think that was all about?

Jesus was and is the Son of God, or God expressed in the second person of the Trinity. So in a nutshell, He’s really important and certainly wouldn’t have to wash anyone’s feet, much less the guys who were basically His students. He didn’t do it because He had to; He did it because He wanted to teach them that they could be in authority and still be servants at the same time. Peter, the most outspoken disciple, outright refused to let Jesus wash his feet at first, but Jesus said if He didn’t wash Peter’s feet, the two of them couldn’t be real friends. In other words, they both had to be willing to serve one another for their relationship to be healthy and authentic.

I decided a few years ago that I wasn’t willing to have any more one-sided relationships where I do all the giving and the other person does all the taking. That kind of interaction is not real friendship, and it always eventually causes resentment and bitterness.

Not only should we do things for each other, we actually need to do things for one another; it’s just part of maintaining good relationships. Giving doesn’t always have to be a response to a desperate need; sometimes we’ll be led to do something for a person who doesn’t seem to need it at all. You might be thinking, If there’s no need, then why do it? Simply because giving of any kind helps keep us from becoming greedy, and it encourages people and makes them feel loved—and we all need to feel loved, no matter how much we have.

When you trust God enough to be willing to serve and bless others, He will always take care of you (see Proverbs 11:25)!

Prayer Starter:Father, show me today how I can bless the people You’ve put in my path. Thank You for leading me and giving me the ability to serve and encourage others in the way they need it. In Jesus’ Name, amen