The Relational Pyramid

Your Children'sRelationshipsWith TheirPeersYour Children'sRelationships WithEach OtherYour Relationship With YourChildrenYour Relationship With Your SpouseYour Relationship With God

The Relational Pyramid

Your Relationship With God:

This is the foundation for all of your relationships. Yes you canhave relationships without this being strong, but just like a house without a strongfoundation when the storms of life come it will quickly crumble (Matthew 7:24-27).Also, this is the one relationship that is not dependant on another person. God willalways be there for you (Joshua 1:5).

Your Relationship With Your Spouse:

This is the next most important relationship. In fact, it isso important God chose to use the relationship between Christ and the church todemonstrate how it should look (Ephesians 5:22-33). This was the second relationshipcreated by God way back in Genesis. God takes this relationship so seriously that twopeople actually become one when they enter into a marriage together (Genesis 2:24)

Your Relationship With Your Children:

This is the third relationship set up by God. Just as manwas created in the Image of God, so your children are created in your image: not only inappearance, but in personal characteristics. God made this so strong that both goodand bad qualities are passed on from generation to generation, often for hundreds of years (I & II Samuel).

Your Children’s Relationships With Each Other:

A child’s first experiences with interacting withother’s occurs with their siblings. No where do you see people’s true feelings for

another person than in this relationship (Genesis 4). Sibling relationships often mirror

their parent’s relationships with each other, for better and worse (Genesis 27).

Your Children’s Relationships With Their Peers:

This is the tip of the relational iceberg, andwhere behaviors are easily seen. In all of the other relationships things can be hidden,but here everything is brought out in the open. If the relationships below are strong, sowill these, however, if what is below is bad your children will continually find themselvesstruggling here (Genesis 4:19-24).