Two Types Of Relationships

 Founders Note: Today on the blog we have one of our monthly contributors Charity, she is sharing her heart on this months theme relationships. find out more about her here.

Whether we want them, desire them, despise them, or reject them, we all have them - relationships. Due to our flawed human nature many times our relationships don't progress as we would like. This sometimes leads us to a place of defeat where we give up and severe the relationships. Some relationships are not forever but many are and just take much love, grace, and forgiveness to thrive.

There are two types of relationships.

The first is the Vertical Relationship. This is the relationship between us and our Heavenly Father. 

The second is the Horizontal Relationship. This is the relationship between us and the people around us - family, friends, coworkers etc.

Of all relationships our vertical relationships is most important. This relationship is the foundation of all our relationships to come. A relationships with God reminds us of our need for grace, mercy, and forgiveness which is what people will one day need from us. Our vertical relationship also teaches us how to truly love according to His teaching because we can clearly see His love demonstrated for us - though the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

In my past I prided myself on holding a grudge. I would proudly say that if someone hurt me I wouldn't forgive them - I would sever the relationship and move on. Thank you Father in Heaven for not operating this way or we would all be in trouble. Looking back on my calloused nature I can attribute it to a lack of a vertical relationship with God. When I began to have a relationship with God my other relationships naturally fell into place. I had been estranged from my Father for 7+ years before I came to a place where I could forgive him. That forgiveness was all of God and none of me. 

As I got closer to God I realized that he desired for me to have Horizontal Relationships. God doesn't want us so consumed in our relationship with Him that we forget his other children. Whether we realize it or not our horizontal relationships may be the only way that someone can develop a vertical relationship with God. Once we have the relationship with God we are tasked with sharing the good news of this relationship with others.

Horizontal relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ are so important that Jesus prayed for us, the body of Christ to be one. Think about the cross for a moment where Jesus hung and died. The Horizontal post that they nailed his hands to would have been no use without the Vertical one that they nailed his feet to...without both there would be no cross. So I ask you this - are you working on a Vertical Relationship to build the foundation to hold the Horizontal ones?