We live in a very individualistic society. Much of what we do and even the relationships we develop are founded on the principle of “What’s in it for me?” But the truth is, we can’t look at relationships in that way. Although we are individuals, we live in neighbourhoods, communities, cities and nations. So today, I thought I would share a bit on the role of relationships in deepening our faith in God.

Most people today are on Facebook. Although it has been declining in popularity, it still has a powerful role in how people relate and communicate. Even as a church, we put our announcements and promote events on it. Messenger is one of our primary forms of communication. That being said, does Facebook actually build or help facilitate healthy relationships? Does it actually help or hinder relationships?

I heard the story about a man with a thousand friends on Facebook. He decided to invite all of them to a party where he would be the host. As the day approached, he got more and more excited as he made preparations. Finally the big day arrived and… nobody showed up. He received one message from one person saying they were “busy.” One thousand “friends” and nobody made the effort to show up and only one person even bothered to say they couldn’t make it…

In a world where we have so many tools to connect, there seems to be an even greater disconnect in our lives. We have texting, Instagram, Snapchat, Wechat, Messenger; yet more and more people seem to lack deep and meaningful connections with each other.

The importance of relationships should never be underestimated. But what these relationships are founded on will determine their depth and value to our lives. So what role do relationships play in our lives and faith?

The truth very few of us rarely discovered God on our own. In fact, human relationships often will impact our lives more than almost anything else. If we experience hypocrisy from a friend, it can undermine our trust of them and of God. Look at how non-Christians see hypocrisy. How does it affect their view of the church and Christ? In the end, I think all of us can attest to the fact that God uses people to reach people.

As Christians we cannot underestimate the importance of having people in our lives. The writer of Hebrews reminds us of the importance of gathering together. I believe this is a call to make sure we are in relationship with those who will encourage us in our faith. Proverbs 13:20 says, “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”” Who we hang out with affects our walk with God. We need to choose our friends based on whether it is a positive or negative influence in our lives.

One of the greatest churches known for how they treated on another was in Thessalonica. In his first letter to them Paul remarked how their faith and example was known throughout the land.

In 5:11, Paul says, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” They knew what mattered. As a church we have a privilege and responsibility to do the same.

Back in Genesis, God asked Cain about the whereabouts of his brother. Cain responded, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” or am I responsible for him? I know we live in a very self-focused culture, but the answer to Cain’s question is, “Yes!” We are responsible to care for, encourage and help our brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul emphasized it over and over with his “one another” commands in his letters.

We are a part of a family called the church. If we can’t love and encourage one another, what are we communicating to the world? What are we communicating to God? Relationships are very important in our faith journey with God. We are called to encourage one another and build each other up. We do this through having accountable relationships built on the mutual value of nurturing our faith together.

Deepening our faith in God isn’t something we do solely on our own. Like raising a child, it takes a village and in this case, it takes a community. My hope and prayer is each of us would find a community of faith that would help us to grow in our relationship with God. Having a big faith means trusting God through all circumstances in life. The best way to do that is with the support, love and encouragement of others.