3 Things We Learn from Christ about Relationships

By Jessica Anne Lawrence

Church Magazines

As we build and deepen relationships with others, we will find greater fulfillment and joy.

Have you ever thought about how Jesus Christ developed relationships with others? Think about it. He was always aware of people around Him (see Luke 8:43–48; 19:2–10; John 1:47–50). He empathized with people (see John 11:31–36). He reached out to them and tried to lift their burdens (see Luke 8:26–36; John 5:5–9).

Even in the Book of Mormon, Jesus Christ physically came to the Nephites and invited them to come to Him “one by one” (3 Nephi 11:15).

Reaching out, ministering, and empathizing with others is an integral part of who Christ is. And because of Him, we have an example to follow when trying to build relationships with people around us. Here are three things we can learn about eternal relationships from Jesus Christ’s example:

Neither Do I Condemn Thee, by Eva Timothy

1. Relationships Bless Us Now and in the Next Life

Nobody wants to feel alone. One of the most important things we can do on earth is develop relationships that will support us through different seasons of life and help us endure to the end.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, then serving as Second Counselor in the First Presidency, taught that “as we extend our hands and hearts toward others in Christlike love, something wonderful happens to us. Our own spirits become healed, more refined, and stronger. We become happier, more peaceful, and more receptive to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit.”¹

Our relationships will not only bless us on earth but will also play an essential part in helping us reach exaltation.

While serving as an Area Seventy, Elder Kevin J Worthen said, “One of the purposes of this mortal existence … is to develop both the skills and the attributes necessary to establish long-lasting, joyful relationships.”²

Christ wants us in heaven with Him. He said, “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3). We can follow His example as we nurture relationships that we can take to heaven. We learn in the Gospel Topics Essays that “Church members imagine exaltation less through images of what they will get and more through the relationships they have now and how those relationships might be purified and elevated.”³

Instead of feeling like we’re going through life alone, we will find that our relationships can become fortresses of safety and comfort. As we follow Jesus Christ’s example in nurturing our relationships, we will experience greater happiness and joy in this life and the life to come.

In Remembrance of Me, by Walter Rane

2. Relationships Are Worth the Effort

If you feel like building relationships takes some work, you’re not alone.

Elder Worthen said: “Positive eternal relationships come at a price. To truly love others, we have to become vulnerable in new ways. Our very love and concern for others means that we will be affected by their actions and circumstances in ways that at times will be soul stretching … But the result is worth the price.”⁴

Great things never come easy, and that includes the relationship the Savior has created with us through His atoning sacrifice. He recognized that the pain He would experience was worth it. His great love for us motivated Him to continue forward even when He asked if there was another way (see Matthew 26:39).

3. Christ Will Help Us

You might be thinking, “I know relationships are important! But I’m not very good at making friends.”

Christ understands. He knows how difficult socializing can be and the fears we sometimes face when trying to connect with others, especially in a world that has become very digital.

He promised, “My grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them” (Ether 12:27).

Christ will help guide us when we have a willing heart. And as we follow His example, we are given a promise that in the end “we shall be like him” (Moroni 7:48)—and this includes growing more charitable and developing meaningful relationships the way He did.

As we seek Him, we will find that we are surrounded with opportunities for beautiful relationships and connections with others.