Find Your Sweet Spot: Tap Into God’s Truth in Relationship

A Relational Lesson in Sticky and Sweet

I grew up in California climbing pine trees. It was fun and frustrating at the same time. Why? Because I learned a life lesson early on: tree sap is sticky. It gets on fingers and clothes. It’s bitter on multiple levels. Trust me, my taste buds are scarred for life. Pine tree sap is nature’s glue. Once it gets on you, it’s hard to clean off. What did I learn from tall pines? Keep climbing, but avoid tree sap at all costs.

When I got married I learned of another kind of tree sap. My wife grew up in Canada climbing maple trees. Their tree sap is sticky, but it’s also subtly sweet. If you’ve ever tried pure maple syrup, you know its potential. Every winter people tap these trees and turn the watery sap into something delicious. What did I learn after meeting my wife: Climb when you can, but when the time is right – tap the tree sap!

From the time I was a kid to the time I got married my perspective has shifted: Tree sap may be sticky, but tapping into the right tree is worth it to find the sweet spot.

You know what else is sticky and also sweet? Relationships. For better or worse, we were created for community (Genesis 2:18). Like tree sap, the way we relate with God and others has the potential to be sticky and sweet at the same time. We need each other through thick and thin. We need grace and truth day in and day out. And, we need love, the Gospel, and care to the core.

You can’t find your sweet spot in true community without a tapping into God’s truth in relationship.

So how do we tap in?

First, take your cues from Jesus’ example. Christ demonstrated the value of true community when He chose to invade the earth, to live among real people full of grace and truth (John 1:14). His life, death, and resurrection provided a way for people to be restored in relationship with God the Father (Romans 5:10). To our great surprise, Christ laid down His life for us when we were at our lowest point – “while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8). By looking to Jesus, we see how messy humanity really is, and yet, that doesn’t hold God back from standing firm on truth and entering into community with us. The Lord knows firsthand that relationships can be sticky and sweet at the same time, and His actions consistently say, “It’s worth it!”

Second, take a look at how other followers of Jesus lived. For example, check out Paul’s words to the church at Thessalonica:

So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. 1 Thessalonians 2:8 ESV

This passage reveals Paul’s pastoral heart for these believers. He clearly elevates the value of God’s truth in relationship. In addition to prayer, teaching, and leadership, they needed to be engulfed in the sweet spot of true community. Following this example, anyone – especially church and children’s ministry leaders – can strengthen true community around them. They can raise the bar so that God’s truth is lifted high in the context of God-honoring relationships.

Tapping in can be as simple as 1-2-3.

There are three intentional, relational disciple-making practices flow right out of 1 Thessalonians 2:8. Tap into them and you’ll be on your way to experiencing the sweet spot of true community.

1. Love people personally

I love the phrase “affectionately desirous of you.” It’s the way I feel about being with my kids at the end of a long week or on Christmas morning. It’s how Jesus described wanting to be with His disciples for the Last Supper (Luke 22:15). Paul loved the Thessalonians personally. He was emotionally close enough to them to speak heart-to-heart.

Could the same be said of you toward those you serve? Do you know their names, their family stories, their passions and fears, their joys and sorrows? If not, what step(s) will you take to tap into God’s truth in relationship in a more personally loving way?

 2. Share the Gospel practically

Paul points out the significance of sharing two things: “the gospel of God but also our own selves.” He and Timothy devoted themselves to preaching the truth of Jesus Christ. Yet, they didn’t do this merely with words. They poured out their lives for the sake of the believers in Thessalonica. Their investment was practical, and it was sacrificial.

How are you presenting the good news of Jesus Christ in practical ways in your ministry? What tangible expressions of God’s unmerited love are you living out? Are there kids and families that need food or clothing? How can you provide emotional support during a tough season? Finding your sweet spot in true community could be as simple as rolling up your sleeves and getting your hands dirty to practically meet a need.

3. Express your care purposefully

The verse ends with this simple rationale: “…because you had become very dear to us.” Paul’s relational connection was related to how he viewed the people he served. This wasn’t a project. It was an expression of compassion. He very purposefully cared for the Thessalonians, and he did so personally and practically.

Why are you serving children, parents, and leaders these days? Is it out of habit or obligation or conscious choice? Who would you claim is “very dear” to you? Knowing this, what adjustments will you make to communicate your care more compassionately? Are you committed to being more purposeful so you can experience the sweet spot in true community together?

Like what you read today? Join us this fall for a 2016 Awana Ministry Conference (AMC) near you!

Our theme this year is – The Great Connection: Pursuing the Sweet Spot of Your Awana Ministry.

Regardless of age, Christ-centered disciple making happens most powerfully in Christ-centered community. For children to be introduced to Christ and invited to walk with Him for life, they need to be influenced by disciples like you – kid-influencers who know, love, and serve Jesus personally, passionately, and purposefully.

Whether you’re a rookie Awana leader or have served faithfully for years, AMC 2016 is designed for you. We want to equip you, not to only run programs, but to keep investing in relational disciple making with kids and families. If you want to learn more about the power-packed combination of God’s truth in relationship as part of your children’s ministry, we’d love for you to join us at a conference site near you.

CLICK HERE for more about AMC 2016 and the AMC Conference Finder.