Relationship Principles
Katie Harmon-McLaughlin of Sacramento, CA, USA
The Spirit of the One you follow is the spirit of love and peace. That Spirit seeks to abide in the hearts of those who would embrace its call and live its message. The path will not always be easy, the choices will not always be clear, but the cause is sure and the Spirit will bear witness to the truth, and those who live the truth will know the hope and the joy of discipleship in the community of Christ. Amen. -Doctrine and Covenants 161:7
In some cultures people are celebrating Valentine’s Day today. Traditionally it is a day of expressing love to one’s significant other. Through the years it has taken on many forms, such as (in the spirit of the television character Leslie Knope from “Parks and Rec”) women coming together to celebrate “Gal-entine’s Day” and the love they have for one another as good friends!
It seems appropriate today to honor the love we share in all of our relationships and to remember that God is the source from which all love flows. Several years ago, Community of Christ received prophetic guidance about how to be with one another in deep relationship. As I examine the significant relationships in my life, these principles are an important guide.
As revealed in Christ, God, the Creator of all, ultimately is concerned about behaviors and relationships that uphold the worth and giftedness of all people and that protect the most vulnerable. Such relationships are to be rooted in the principles of Christ-like love, mutual respect, responsibility, justice, covenant, and faithfulness, against which there is no law. -Doctrine and Covenants Section 164:6a
What relationships mean the most to you? How are you invited to express God’s love in relationship with others? When you examine your relationships through the lens of these principles, where are you invited to grow? When do you experience the blessings of mutual respect and Christ-like love? How might the world be transformed as we embody these principles more fully in every relationship of our lives?
Prayer Phrase
God is here today. (“Dios est\xc3\xa1 aqu\xc3\xad” CCS 150)
Spiritual Practice
Breathing in the Spirit
Find a comfortable but alert position and begin to breathe deeply. With each breath, feel yourself relax, releasing anything that feels constricting. Imagine that each breath is the wind of the Spirit moving through your being, stirring up what is most alive in you. Relax into the flow of the Spirit and notice what awareness or invitation emerges.
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.
