July 6, 2021
The Law of Connection
Beloved child how many real connections do you have? Whom do you know that you are not just friends, but you are connected by the Spirit? For many years of my life, I embraced everyone who entered my life until around 15 years ago. I went through a season when God revealed those who were not lifetime connections. I discovered I invested too much of my time in people who were here today and gone tomorrow – it left me with regrets, and it changed me! Today I only invest my time in family and people I am connected to by the Spirit. How do you know when you have a lasting relationship with someone? When you have a divine appointment that only God could orchestrate, and He connects you by the Spirit! People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime and they fall into one of three categories,
1. They’re like leaves on a tree, here today and gone tomorrow.
2. They’re like branches on a tree, you don’t want to step out on a branch because you don’t know when it might break off and be gone.
3. People are like the roots of a tree and they are there for a lifetime!
Most people invest their time in people who are like leaves on a tree, or branches. For the last 15 years, I only invest my time in people I am connected to by the Spirit, and family – those are lasting relationships. Paul calls it the Law of Connection.’ (Galatians 3:6-4:31) Paul used stories allegories and illustrations. to drive home the truth. (Galatians 3:10-14) He illustrated to us the difference between a son and a slave, (Galatians 4:1-7) and he used an allegory of Sarah and Hagar. (Galatians 4:21-31) Paul used word pictures to help us understand his examples and invites us to the experience of discovery that we can only understand by the Spirit.
Paul had a gift for handling difficult people:
1. Use the 101% Principle. Find the 1% you agree on the Word of God and give it 100% of your attention. (Matthew 18:18-19)
2. Love People more than policies but love truth and God more than people. (1 John 4:7-8)
3. Give others the benefit of the doubt. (Romans 12:17-18)
4. Learn to be flexible where you can. (Jonah 3:9-10)
5. Keep your own attitude in check, be Christ-minded. (Philippians 2:2-7, Ephesians 4:22)
6. Walk in Love. (1 Corinthians 16:13-14)
7. Don’t overreact to conflict and disagreement. (Proverbs 15:18)
8. Welcome the conflict, make it a learning opportunity. (Hebrews 12:14)
9. Humble yourself and admit if you make a mistake. (James 4:10)
10. Provide a way of escape for the person in conflict. Honor them and let them maintain their dignity, they were made in God’s image.
(Genesis 1:27-28, 2 Timothy 3:16)
11.Take a risk. Give people a second chance. (Jonah 3:1-4)
12. Always take the high road. Be generous and believe the best about others. (Luke 23:34)
I love the connections God has given me and I always know when it is a lifetime connection because the feeling has nothing to do with it. God always connects us 100% by the Spirit, not the flesh. Flesh relationships don’t last, but Spirit connections do! Do you have root relationships that will last?
