When 50 / 50 Is All That Is Expected

I watched a video by the Booth Brothers where they talked about relationships and how many are under the impression for a relationship to last, it needs to be a fifty-fifty split. If this were to be examined, that understanding would suggest that the input from one of the partners needs only to meet in the middle. The arguments and misunderstandings then, I would suggest, happen in the defining where that line comes into play.

In our household, for example, it is understood that Natalie does the cooking and I clean up after the fact. This is not to say that I refuse to cook but rather that I enjoy her cooking and would rather clean up after the meal than subject our pallets to my attempts at meal preparation. There are times we fend for ourselves or I cook because she is very busy (at this time it should be noted I make a wicked Mac and Cheese with weenies). If we draw lines of delineation in a relationship, this could lead to stress as the one person expects and the other does not deliver.

You can substitute anything into the mix here, cleaning up the house, mowing the lawn, paying the bills or even planning a night out. When the line is drawn, there is always the chance someone will feel slighted because the other person is not holding up their side of the bargain. Could we possibly look at relationships in a different light? How would it look if each person put 100% effort into their relationships? This would mean that we adjust our thinking from self to the needs of those around us especially those closest to us. Are you worried about your needs? They would be taken care of by those around you and thus you can fully concentrate on the relationships you have.

Love the Lord with absolutely every ounce of your being (that means 100%) and love your neighbour as yourself. In other words, love those around you with every ounce of your being as well (again that means 100%) for this is the word of the Lord. Would this change the way we live in pure relationship? Just something to chew on for the week.

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Shalom
Pastor Todd