Relationships with no expectations

In church one Sunday morning we were talking about families and how a family isn't just your biological family, but also your spiritual family and the community as a whole; composed of many different relationships. And after coming home and thinking about this more it really started me thinking about how much we are lacking in relationships. How we are created for relationship, in fact the first problem that God addressed in the Bible was that of loneliness. From the very beginning we needed relationship, created in God's image. Adam was lonely, so God created a suitable helper for him, and God was in complete, perfect relationship with Adam and Eve before the fall. And we have longed for that perfect relationship ever since.

Thinking about how important relationships are to God I started wondering how often we truly form relationships with people.  I think we tend to form expectations, a give and take sort of bartering system: the mentality of I'll be friends with you as long as I am gaining something from the relationship; as long as you continue to behave a certain way; as long as it doesn't cost me anything; as long as you make me feel worthy.... Relationships with expectations are messy and I promise that as humans we will continue to disappoint each other and never live up to each others expectations.

How about this for a change, what if you loved someone with no strings attached. What if you helped someone out with no expectation of repayment, I mean really none, not even a thank you was necessary. What if you genuinely liked people because of who their Maker was; one of the greatest characteristics of Christ in my opinion is that He liked people. He was in constant relationship with people. He didn't sit in the synagogue waiting for them to come find Him, He met them where they were in life and loved them. This was one of the biggest criticisms of Him from the religious leaders of his time, He befriended tax collectors, prostitutes and drunkards? Should we not do the same?

Want to know God? Look to Jesus. And if people want to see Jesus today, shouldn't they be able to recognize Him in us. Are you in true relationships? Are you putting yourself out there with no expectation of repayment other than the joy you will get from loving? Are you loving people right where they are, regardless of who they are or what they can or can't do for you?

God has blessed us as a people beyond words. We need to take those blessings out into the world. Lose the expectations and ask God to fill you with His love and to guide you in true relationships.