They Demonstrated Kingdom Priority In Relationship

·       The case of Esther – Esther demonstrated kingdom priority in relationship when she found herself in the palace against her will. A decree was passed by King Ahasuerus and all the young virgins were assembled and extensive body treatments were done to prepare them for the king, after which he will choose who will be the next queen. All these happened after queen Vashti had been dethroned. Amen. This is what I will like us to learn from Esther, in the context of relationship and kingdom priority. Esther 2:15 (NKJV) Now when the turn came for Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his daughter, to go into the king, she requested nothing but what Hegai the king’s eunuch, the custodian of the women, advised. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all who saw her.

 From a practical perspective, the name Hegai in Hebrew means “word”; it also means “meditation”. By implication, Esther only requested what the word advised. So, although in a relationship she did not choose for herself, she still allowed the word to remain priority. Amen. She is a great example.

The case of Paul and Onesimus – When you read Paul’s Epistle to Philemon, it gives you a better appreciation of kingdom priority in relationship. Summarily, Philemon was a member of the church in Colosse at the time. Meanwhile, Paul was imprisoned in Rome. Onesimus escaped from his slave master Philemon. Upon his escape, Onesimus made his way to Rome, where he eventually met with Paul who led him to Christ. Amen. I want us to see that, first, Paul did not plan to get into any relationship with Onesimus. Secondly, Paul was imprisoned and by implication, his condition was not conducive, nevertheless, that did not stop him from developing a relationship with Onesimus for the purpose of leading Onesimus to Christ. In addition to that, he even encouraged Onesimus to return to his slave master Philemon. Amen.

These are just a few examples of individuals who demonstrated kingdom priority in relationship. Let’s emulate them. Amen.

They Demonstrated Kingdom Values In Relationship

Together, let’s take a look at a few Bible characters who demonstrated kingdom values in their relationship. Our goal is to see the significance of having and maintaining kingdom values even while in relationships.

·       The case of Daniel – The book of Daniel tells us that Daniel was a young man who was taken into Babylonian captivity. Despite the Babylonian captivity (a relationship he was forced into), Daniel did not bow to the values of his environment. Rather, he upheld kingdom values. In that environment of captivity, Daniel fasted and prayed rather than partake of the king’s meat and drink. Daniel worshipped the one and only true God rather than bow down to idols. He lived honorably unto the Lord even when criticized. He understood from scriptures according to the prophecy of Jeremiah, how long the desolation of Jerusalem would last. Meaning he understood the value of getting directions from the word. Amen.

·       The case of Joseph – In Genesis 39, we are told about the story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife. Another great example of someone who was forced into a relationship, this time, by virtue of being sold by his brothers.  While in Potiphar’s home, Potiphar’s wife attempted to have Joseph sin against the Lord with her, Joseph did not compromise his values despite the consequences. Amen.

·       The case of Paul and Barnabas – In the book of Acts 13, we are told that Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark were on their first missionary journey and in Acts 15, John Mark decided to desert them in Pamphylia and left the work. We are not specifically told why John Mark made this decision at such a critical time in their journey. However, this is what I will like us to see. Despite the circumstances faced, Paul and Barnabas had to continue the advancement of the kingdom. Their kingdom pursuit was priority even though their relationship had been affected. Amen.

These are just a few examples of people who maintained their values in the midst of challenging relationships.  Although not specifically stated, I believe the values we see demonstrated by these individuals were not developed during their relationships but rather, prior to their relationships. The pressures of life have a way of forcing us to compromise in our relationships, the values you once upheld. So my encouragement to you is this. Begin working on and defining your kingdom values, do not wait until you get into a relationship before you do so. Amen.