WORD OF THE WEEK - RELATIONAL - 3/1/26

DEFINITION: something rooted in relationship—It is formed, sustained, and expressed through connection between people (or between God and people)
Scriptures:Psalm 91 - “1Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 - “9Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:10If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up."John 17:15 - "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”

Website:  www.wow-newton.com

Website: www.wow-newton.com
Email:  osnewton@wow-newton.com

Transcript

DEFINITION: something rooted in relationship—It is formed, sustained, and expressed through connection between people (or between God and people)
Scriptures:Psalm 91 - “1Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 - “9Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:10If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up."John 17:15 - "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”

Word of the Week:RELATIONAL
As a wife and mother, I think of protection in relational terms. My relationship with those I love dictates not only the quality but the intensity of my desire to protect them. It also shapes my expectation of their protection in return. The deeper the bond, the deeper the instinct to guard, nurture, and stand watch. Love sharpens awareness, heightens responsibility, and creates a mutual circle of care that systems and structures can never replicate.
Communal protection, by contrast, is often impersonal. Forces established for the common good maintain law and order, guard property, and shield society from threats that could destabilize the environment we share. These systems do not require personal relationship or investment in individual survival. They simply require organization, resources, and the capacity to create barriers against danger. Their protection is broad, necessary, and valuable—but it is not personal.
For the individual, however, protection is deeply relational. God—our Creator, Guide, and Comforter—uses human beings as instruments of protection on physical, spiritual, emotional, and destiny‑shaping levels. The same hands that can cause harm can also shield, uplift, and restore. No matter how we may try to isolate ourselves, God designed us as interconnected beings whose lives are strengthened and safeguarded through relationship.
The relational bonds of family, friendship, and community promote a spirit of love that provides layers of protection systems cannot. “I” becomes less important than “we,” because “we” is where safety lives. “I” am protected because “we” care for one another. “We” protect by offering support when someone is overwhelmed, prayer when someone is burdened, guidance when someone is uncertain, care when someone is hurting, instruction when someone needs direction, watchfulness when someone is vulnerable, a reason to keep going when someone feels lost, accountability when someone is drifting, and encouragement when someone is weary. That’s love.
Today, the internet—our modern-day “Tower of Babel,” built to bring the world together under global communication—has simultaneously isolated us from one another. In Scripture, God dismantled the tower because of the builders’ prideful attempt to reach heaven. To prevent another vain attempt, He scattered them by confusing their language. Do you see any similarities?
In our world today, falling in love, getting married, and building a family often seem less important than becoming an influencer, making the right investments, or taking the next international trip. And because of the convenience of our devices, we rarely meet to find a mate, a friend, or even meaningful human connection.
Even our public gatherings are less about celebration and more about confrontation—signs, slogans, and protests declaring our positions. The systems that once helped us care for one another have deteriorated, and fear has become the dominant emotion of our time. We no longer feel protected because we have lost our “we.”
As the world edges toward a war most hoped to avoid, we need the interconnectedness that once protected us when we were afraid, lost, and hopeless.
Fear not. God is love, and He is ever present. You are not alone.God’s love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:7)
Trust God. Try Him. Prove Him.God never fails.