Bridges serve as mediums to connect two locations thus bringing them closer. The purpose of this post is not to harp on what bridges are but to look at it from life’s perspective. Each of our relationship can be viewed as a bridge. Any person with whom we don’t have a relationship is a stranger but the one with whom you have a relationship is the one with whom you connect. So like Bridges, Relationships connects people and brings them together. If you just try to draw a similarity between Bridges and Relationships, a good deal of inputs can be drawn out of it. In this post I would like to touch upon just three vital points.
The first point is,Depending on the function and the terrain different designs of bridges are built and they can vary from a simple log of wood over a small stream to huge bridges hanging on cables. Not all places require big bridges as it won’t be a feasible solution and also because they require heavy maintenance which will consume lot of time, money and energy. So the first point for us is to realize that, like Bridges, we need not have a common design in all our relationships. Every person in our life can be categorized and a right fit relationship can be established. This is because I see a whole lot of people struggle in their relationships only because they don’t know which one to prioritize. They end up burning all their time and energy as they don’t realize where to have a simple bridge and where to have a sophisticated one. If you prioritize and categorize people you will know which relationships needs more nurturing, care and better support. Not everyone in our life requires all of our attention. Some of them just need an occasional handshake.
The second point is to know if relationships are bridges then communication is the support on which a relationship is built. Without communication no relationship can ever thrive. Communication is the support frame in a relationship just like we have cables or tall support structures etc. to hold a bridge together. Strong communication will hold relationship better, Weak communication will eventually lead to its collapse. So the key thing is to check how are we or how much are we communicating in our relationships.
The third point is clear in the moral of this story: -Once upon a time two brothers, who lived on adjoining farms, fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed without a conflict. Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.
One morning there was a knock on John's door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's tool box. "I'm looking for a few days' work" he said. "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there I could help with? Could I help you?" "Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you."
"Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbor; in fact, it's my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll do him one better."
"See that pile of lumber by the barn? I want you to build me a fence --an 8-foot fence -- so I won't need to see his place or his face anymore."
The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you."
The older brother had to go to town, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day. The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job.
The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge -- a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work, handrails and all -- and the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming toward them, his hand outstretched. "You are quite a fellow to build this bridge; after all I've said and done." The two brothers hugged each other and when they turned, they saw the carpenter hoist his toolbox onto his shoulder.
"No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother. "I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, but I have many more bridges to build.
Moral:-Build bridges instead of walls. Don’t burn bridges (relationships), cos the world is round and you might come across the same people again in your life.Imagine if the Carpenter had built a fence? This story would have had a sad ending. The carpenter knew the value of relationships and hence decided to build a bridge instead of a fence to get them back together. I totally agree with people who say that our family comes first but then I feel even more important than our family is our relationship with God our creator.To help understand better just imagine your relationship with God to be the first button on the shirt, If that button goes into the right hole then all the buttons fall in the right place and the shirt would be put up perfect. If that button is messed up, then the shirt would never be in place. It would be good if we seek to build this relationship first and then you’ll see, the rest would all fall in place. As mentioned in the second point it can be built by communication which is reading the word of God and through prayers. Most people place God way down below in their relationship list and just restrict it to some rituals.In my study of the Bible, I realized that this book is all about one relationship that is between God & Man. God created man to have a relationship and fellowship with him. Man sinned against God and went away from him. Jesus came into this world to reconcile man back to God and served as a bridge. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to God the father except through me. All that is required is a matter of one choice and a simple confession as seen in the scripture in Romans 10:9 which says: - if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Isn’t it simple?
God Bless You
The second point is to know if relationships are bridges then communication is the support on which a relationship is built. Without communication no relationship can ever thrive. Communication is the support frame in a relationship just like we have cables or tall support structures etc. to hold a bridge together. Strong communication will hold relationship better, Weak communication will eventually lead to its collapse. So the key thing is to check how are we or how much are we communicating in our relationships.
The third point is clear in the moral of this story: -Once upon a time two brothers, who lived on adjoining farms, fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed without a conflict. Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.
One morning there was a knock on John's door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's tool box. "I'm looking for a few days' work" he said. "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there I could help with? Could I help you?" "Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you."
"Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbor; in fact, it's my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll do him one better."
"See that pile of lumber by the barn? I want you to build me a fence --an 8-foot fence -- so I won't need to see his place or his face anymore."
The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you."
The older brother had to go to town, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day. The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job.
The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge -- a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work, handrails and all -- and the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming toward them, his hand outstretched. "You are quite a fellow to build this bridge; after all I've said and done." The two brothers hugged each other and when they turned, they saw the carpenter hoist his toolbox onto his shoulder.
"No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother. "I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, but I have many more bridges to build.
Moral:-Build bridges instead of walls. Don’t burn bridges (relationships), cos the world is round and you might come across the same people again in your life.Imagine if the Carpenter had built a fence? This story would have had a sad ending. The carpenter knew the value of relationships and hence decided to build a bridge instead of a fence to get them back together. I totally agree with people who say that our family comes first but then I feel even more important than our family is our relationship with God our creator.To help understand better just imagine your relationship with God to be the first button on the shirt, If that button goes into the right hole then all the buttons fall in the right place and the shirt would be put up perfect. If that button is messed up, then the shirt would never be in place. It would be good if we seek to build this relationship first and then you’ll see, the rest would all fall in place. As mentioned in the second point it can be built by communication which is reading the word of God and through prayers. Most people place God way down below in their relationship list and just restrict it to some rituals.In my study of the Bible, I realized that this book is all about one relationship that is between God & Man. God created man to have a relationship and fellowship with him. Man sinned against God and went away from him. Jesus came into this world to reconcile man back to God and served as a bridge. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to God the father except through me. All that is required is a matter of one choice and a simple confession as seen in the scripture in Romans 10:9 which says: - if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Isn’t it simple?
God Bless You
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