Anthropological studies have revealed the social nature of human beings. Archaeological discoveries have revealed that man was always found living in groups. Staying together means relating with one another. It means to say that relationships are an integral part of humans. They are essential to human existence. It reveals the ultimate truth that man cannot live alone. He needs other human beings to relate with. Therefore, someone has rightly said, a man’s quality of life is dependent on the quality of relationships.
We are aware of the numerous benefits of happy relationships. It provides us comfort and love. A person who is in a good relationship enjoys emotional support. He or she feels secure and comfortable. The relationships reduce anxiety, fear and depression. It has a positive impact on the physical and mental health of the person. This has been proved by studies. In the relationship, we learn from one another because each person is uniquely gifted by God. Relationships also help us to see things from another’s perspective. It brings perfection. We can say without any doubt that relationships bring meaning to one’s life.
Man is born in a family, a home of relationships. In the family; the father, mother, brothers, sisters, grandparents, cousins, uncles and aunts make different relationships. We are formed to relate with one another in the family itself. Human beings learn to connect to the family. However, it is surprising that we face a number of difficulties while relating to the other person.
The present situation in the world posed dreaded challenges in the relationships before us. Social media and technology are supposed to bring all of us together but it has affected our relationships. We are caught up in the media and forgotten about our loved ones. Our addiction to social media has certainly brought disaster in our relationships. After the pandemic, we are tuned to virtual communication. It has become the norm. It has affected our emotional touch. A person cannot feel emotions or non-verbal communication when he or she uses virtual means of communication. We have lost the physical touch in our relationships.
The world is put into extreme polarization by the selfish leaders of our community. The difference of opinions has brought tension to our relationship. The present working condition is not conducive to relationships. The younger generation has not been able to bring a balance between work and life. The financial stress is growing in the relationship. The families are sucked into the system. The financial struggle has caused tension and disagreement. There are numerous challenges, we cannot list them here. But I feel the most important challenge is man’s inability to demonstrate his love in action. We are so engrossed in our needs that we do not have time to convert his love into action. This has affected families, societies and working places. It has affected the basic fabric of the society.
A relationship is more than a feeling. One just cannot use verbatim to express his love and do nothing. If this love is not seen in action, then it has no meaning. The most influential people in the world are those who walk the talk. Jesus Christ is the supreme example for us. He becomes the role model par excellence. His life and ministry reveal to us that he was a man of relationships. He showed his love in action. He showed compassion, forgiveness and kindness towards each and every person he encountered, regardless of their background or status. He touches lepers who were outcasts. He touched the dead and brought them to life. He healed the sick and the suffering. He forgave the sins. He loved everyone. He washed the feet of his disciples. He loved his enemies to the point of his death on the cross. At last, he sacrificed his life and poured out his blood for us when we were still in sin. Jesus has taught us how we must put our love into action. He has taught us to live for others.
Having seen the importance and challenges of relationships in our lives, we realized that our love should be seen in action in our relationship. It is the key to making our relationships successful. If we want our families, communities and society to be happy and joyful then our relationships should be good. We looked at the life of Jesus, the supreme model for our relationships. He converted his love into action. Jesus makes us understand that our relationships which are governed by the principle of love in action have the power to make this world a better place. Let us live by it.
