One thing relationship gurus get wrong …

There’s a story about a man who dialed a wrong number and got the following recording: “I am not available right now, but I thank you for caring enough to call. I am making some changes in my life. Please leave a message after the beep. If I do not return your call, you are one of the changes.”

Sometimes we need to make changes in our lives, including some of the people who are in them. But I think sometimes our problem isn’t so much about getting some people out of our lives as it is about opening our lives to let people in.

If you listen to many who consider themselves to be relationship gurus, they’re constantly telling people to rid themselves of anyone who isn’t beneficial to them in some way, and surround themselves only with people who contribute to their ability to achieve their goals and dreams. That message is an encouragement to make life all about you, and to value people only by what they bring to your life.

Could anything be more opposite of the example Jesus provided for us?

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many,” Matthew 20:28.

At a time when we marginalize some of our closest relationships to text-only communication, many today suffer from not allowing people into their lives … for authentic friendship, for fellowship in Christ, and for opportunities to serve the needs of others. Yes, we also need care, encouragement, support, love, and even challenge from others, but we really should be receiving those things while busy giving them.

If you were to make some changes in your life, which would you need to make the most: removing some people from your life, or opening your life to let some people in?

Scotty