It is often said that spirituality is a personal and private matter: "Just between me and God." And although I would agree that Chrisian spirituality is a personal thing, it is most definately not a private thing. It is clear that we were created as social beings. Jesus modeled this for us by gathering friends around him before beginning his adventures in ministry. When he sent them out, he sent them in pairs, and called them back together to share the ways that God was at work in them and through them. The church itself is a institution established to nurture social relationships that would translate into obedience, faithfulness, and love.

In fact, it is safe to say that one cannot truly love in isolation.

Scripture is full of passages that admonish us to nurture healthy relationships with others. There are a lot of specific directions for how to do this. Here are just a few of the "one another" and "each other" passages from the book of Ephesians alone:

• Ephesians 4:2-3 || Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace.
• Ephesians 4:25 || So put away all falsehood and “tell your neighbor the truth”^ because we belong to each other.
• Ephesians 4:32 || Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
• Ephesians 5:21 || …submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
  

Is there a word or a phrase that sticks out to you in these passages? When you think of your relationship with your mom, or dad, or maybe a friend or sibling...do any of these "one anothers" challenge you in the way you might show love to them? How about our youth group, or more broadly: newberg friends? How might you live these verses out here or at your school?

You can comment by reflecting on any of these questions or anything else that you want.