The Hidden Costs of Relationships: A Call for Empathy, Love, and Spiritual Values in Society

Relationships, be they physical or spiritual, have actual costs. The costlier the relationship, the more people pay to sustain it. Sadly, many do not oil the wheels of their relationships with the costs attached to them. For example, one cannot profess to serve Jehovah unless one fears and loves him. Fear and love of God are some of the costs of being children of God, and they do not come cheap, especially in adversity. These spiritual values, such as fear and love of God, are crucial for societal well-being as they promote empathy, love, and care for one another.

The costs we sometimes pay for our relationships are not one-sided as mortal beings. They include loyalty, giving even without getting, displaying love for one another, checking on each other, punctuality to agreed functions, standing by each other, defending each other, and sharing each other’s pains or successes. These costs are shared; they are the threads that bind us together and create a network of support and understanding. The more ‘clusters of relationships ‘, which refer to interconnected groups of relationships, lose the threads of love and empathy, the more society plunges into unfriendliness, aggression, hostilities toward each other, and insecurity.

If we had to apply this to service, it means that leaders who fear and love the Lord have a crucial role in upholding spiritual values and can never steal from the people. Their role is about leading and inspiring and setting an example. It’s leaders like these that can inspire hope and change. Is that what we see around us today? How much time do we have to look out for each other? What are the costs of maintaining your relationships from January to December each year?

I know many would not accept their shortcomings. Still, many of us are guilty of not oiling the wheels of our relationships, which could be a factor in the degeneration of a society into a place without empathy, love, and care for one another. The consequences of neglecting these costs are dire, and it’s something we all need to be concerned about if we are to turn Nigeria around for good. The urgency of addressing these issues cannot be overstated.

I wish all my readers, friends, and families a happy weekend. By God’s grace, your miracle is approaching, and you will be celebrated sooner than expected.

Grace and peace!!!