Woven in Love
May 17, 2026
Dr. Paul Cannings
Relationships are like knitting a blanket. It is an integrated process that takes time, carefully weaving together one picture called family or friends. At the core of every meaningful relationship is love, and true love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:4-8). This is because the One who knits genuine relationships together is God Himself. God declares that He is love and that love comes from Him (1 John 4:7-8). For any relationship to endure, God must remain at the center of each person’s life. When God is at the center, His love is perfected in them (1 John 2:3-6).
To attempt a relationship without God is to rely on human understanding and personal strength alone. This is impossible to sustain because our flesh is weak, and the works of the flesh ultimately lead to dissension and strife (Galatians 5:16-21).
Another tendon in relationships is trust. This is why Scriptures teach us to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Lying originates from the devil (Luke 8:44). To lie, as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira, is to allow Satan to influence and control the situation. At its very core, lying violates trust. Even in our relationship with God, He requires us to trust Him (Proverbs 3:5-6). God cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18) because He is THE TRUTH (John 14:6).
Healthy relationships also require mutual respect. Paul expresses it this way: “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-5).
Relationships experience unity when each person is committed to submitting to the will of God (Ephesians 5:15-21), allowing the Spirit to work in their lives (Galatians 5:22-25), developing respectful and edifying communication (Ephesians 4:25-32), and honoring differences that may exist (Romans 14). Relationships grounded in these principles can endure both joyful seasons and difficult trials.
The Spaniards once besieged the little town of St. Quentin on the frontiers of France. Its ramparts lay in ruins, fever and famine afflicted its defenders, and treason spread among its terrified population. One day, the Spaniards shot over a shower of arrows over the walls, each carrying slips of parchment promising that if the inhabitants surrendered, their lives and property would be spared.
The governor of the town was the great Huguenot leader, Gaspard de Coligny. As his only response, he tied a piece of parchment to a javelin and wrote these two words: Regem habemus—“We have a King!”
“We have a King.” In every relationship, we must allow Him to rule no matter what challenges we face, because of who He is – love itself – and He will never fail. “…….By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35; NASU).