Guest Blogger: Beth Riley

Beth Riley has been reading the book "Relationships" along with our Tuesday night study on the same topic. She's been blogging about it on her own blog, and I asked her to share some thoughts with us.


No Options!

“We know we are less than human when we are alone.”

There are two extremes on the pendulum of relationship; isolation and immersion. The Isolationist says, “I want to be safe” and the immersionist says, “I need you in order to live (17).”
It is interesting how my views fall in the pendulum. For example, I definitely fear vulnerability with people. I cleave at times to self preservation instead of reaching out to the individual. Then, at other times, I think my life is pitiful because my dear friends from the past are not here, and I overlook the dear friendships that are being built here.

They go on to explain relationship interactions between two types of people.

-the frustrated relationship; one isolationist, who feels smothered, and one immersionist, who feels rejected.

-the emeshed relationship, two immersionist;so dependent on each other, that they can be easily hurt when the other does not meet their needs

-the isolated relationship; two isolationist;complicated because their desires for safety and independence collides with the longing for relationship.

“While relationships are not inherently dangerous, the expectations we bring to them can be (19).” In the words of Miah (from Princess Diaries) “Shut up”! I am disappointed in relationships normally because the other person does not meet the expectations I have imposed upon them. How silly, and yet I see this continually surfacing in my relationships. *hint prayer request

8 implications to enrich your community (relationships)

1. God is the only properly functioning community in the universe (21).
2. The Trinity is the only adequate model for human community (22)
3. People made in God's likeness were made for community (22).
4. God has a 2-fold purpose for human community: personal growth and witness to the world (23).
5. Sin's self-centeredness cuts us off from God and others(23).
6. True human community only arise out of communion with God (23).
7. Christ's resolve confirms the commitment made by the Father, Son, and Spirit before the creation of the world (24).
8. God will dwell in community with his people so that they can know community with one another

In conclusion, I don't want to give everything away in the chapter because there is rich truth found in the content of the above point.