Give and take

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” - John 15:5

God designed us for relationships. We need other people for our emotional and spiritual well-being, let alone our daily survival. 

But in a world fragmented by sin, our dependence on others can become distorted. 

Many of us lean towards hyper-independence—trying not to need anyone or anything. Or we lean on codependency, where we “merge” with others and lose sight of our unique needs, gifts, and callings.

Jesus models a third way for us: interdependence. 

We see Jesus connected to God the Father during his earthly life and His holy heavenly connection as part of the Trinity. Jesus is an inspirational example of what it looks like to live alongside others. 

Jesus had a clear sense of self as well as healthy boundaries. But He also allowed Himself to be influenced, affected, and cared for by His Father and His disciples.

He invites you into the same type of relationship with Him: a relationship of interconnectedness. A relationship like the vine and the branches have. 

What would it look like for you to abide in Jesus? How would it change the way you relate to others?

Can you stop relying only on your own self-sufficiency? Can you let go of the need to always need the approval of other people to feel “ok?” 

Instead of co-dependency or hyper-independence, pray that you can enjoy the balance of interdependence, as modeled by Jesus in His life, death, and resurrection.