ELEMENTS MISSING IN TODAY'S FRIENDSHIPS AND FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS – AND WHY THEY MATTER

Rebuilding Trust, Genuine Connections, Mutual Responsibility and Social Support

Romans 12:9

[9]Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

One of the growing challenges facing modern society, in both developed and developing countries, is the weakening of genuine connections among friends and family members.

Although technological advancement has made communication easier through mobile phones, social media and other digital platforms, the quality of relationships has not necessarily improved. People can communicate daily, share photographs, exchange greetings and celebrate one another's achievements online while knowing very little about what is actually happening in each other's lives.

In many cases, people who should naturally be among one another's closest support systems have become strangers.

HOW RELATIONSHIPS HAVE CHANGED

In earlier generations, friendships and family relationships were often characterized by greater physical interaction, shared experiences, openness, familiarity and a sense of collective responsibility.

Children grew up knowing their relatives, family friends and neighbours. Parents generally had greater opportunities to understand the environments in which their children lived, the people they associated with and the influences shaping their character.

However, as children progress through different stages of education, particularly senior school, college and university, family relationships and parental involvement may become increasingly distant. Independence is important, and young people should be allowed to develop their identities and make their own decisions. Nevertheless, independence should not necessarily mean the disappearance of meaningful family connections.

After school and college, many friendships are reduced to occasional telephone calls, social media interactions and brief encounters. Even when people meet in towns, workplaces or rural communities, there may be little willingness to visit one another, share personal experiences or maintain meaningful relationships.

People may talk about their employment, businesses, investments and financial achievements, but their friends and relatives may know very little about their actual circumstances. In some instances, even the people closest to them cannot confidently establish what they do, the challenges they face or the environments in which they operate.

Consequently, friendships and family relationships increasingly exist in name rather than in meaningful connection.

1. THE DECLINE OF TRUST AND OPENNESS

Trust and openness are fundamental elements of meaningful relationships.

Friends and family members should, within reasonable boundaries of privacy and personal independence, be able to understand one another's circumstances, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges.

This does not mean that everyone must disclose every personal detail or surrender their privacy. Rather, there should be sufficient trust for people to seek advice, share important concerns, ask for assistance and receive honest guidance without unnecessary fear of judgment, exploitation or betrayal.

When relationships lack openness, people may live through serious difficulties without anyone close to them knowing what is happening.

The absence of trust also makes it difficult to identify harmful behaviour, misunderstandings, deception and other problems before they become serious.

2. THE GAP IS BEING FILLED BY COMMERCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

As traditional friendship and family support systems weaken, people increasingly depend on formal institutions and organized groups to meet needs that close personal relationships once helped address.

Banks, insurance companies, savings and credit cooperatives (SACCOs), churches, investment groups, entertainment associations, social clubs and other organizations now occupy important spaces in people's lives.

These institutions provide valuable services and should not be viewed negatively. Indeed, many offer essential financial, social, spiritual and practical support.

However, institutional relationships are generally established around specific services, obligations, membership requirements or financial arrangements. They cannot automatically replace the broader responsibilities and personal understanding that healthy friendships and family relationships can provide.

An institution may know your financial contribution, insurance policy or membership details without necessarily understanding your family circumstances, personal struggles, values or wider needs.

Furthermore, some people may have their personal information known to institutions but remain largely unknown to the friends and relatives who could otherwise provide meaningful support.

There is also a need for greater awareness of financial exploitation, fraud, inheritance disputes and the vulnerability that can arise when people lack trusted relationships and proper support systems. In times of death, incapacity or personal crisis, poorly understood financial arrangements and inadequate family communication can expose individuals and their dependants to avoidable difficulties.

3. PROPER CARE AND SUPPORT FOR ONE ANOTHER BECOME DIFFICULT

One of the most important purposes of friendship and family relationships is to provide support during difficult moments.

People experience financial struggles, unemployment, illness, disability, debt, bereavement, marital difficulties, parenting challenges, legal problems and other personal crises.

In healthy relationships, people should have someone they can approach for guidance, encouragement, practical assistance or simply a listening ear.

For example:

• A person experiencing financial difficulties may need advice, temporary assistance or help identifying employment and business opportunities.

• Someone struggling with illness may need practical care, companionship and assistance accessing healthcare.

• A family experiencing marital difficulties may benefit from responsible counselling and mediation.

• Parents struggling with children's behaviour may need guidance, mentorship and support from trusted people.

• Someone facing legal challenges may need appropriate guidance and assistance accessing qualified legal services.

• A person experiencing emotional distress may need someone who can listen, encourage them and help them access professional support where necessary.

When genuine relationships are absent, individuals may face these challenges alone, even when surrounded by many people.

This places additional pressure on governments, social services, charities and professional institutions, which may be unable to meet every social need.

Strong relationships do not eliminate the need for professional services. Rather, they complement them and can help people access appropriate assistance earlier.

4. THE ABSENCE OF ACCOUNTABILITY CAN MAKE PRIVATE LIFESTYLES DANGEROUS

Privacy and personal freedom are important human rights. Adults should have the freedom to make personal decisions without unnecessary interference.

However, freedom should not be confused with the absence of responsibility or accountability.

When people become completely disconnected from meaningful relationships, they may lack trusted individuals who can question their decisions, challenge harmful behaviour or offer guidance when they begin making destructive choices.

Some may engage in criminal activities, substance abuse, exploitation, domestic violence, irresponsible financial behaviour or other conduct that harms themselves, their families and society.

Others may experience serious personal struggles, depression, abuse or exploitation but suffer in silence because they have nobody they trust enough to approach.

A healthy friendship or family relationship should provide an environment where people can speak honestly, receive constructive correction and be encouraged to make responsible decisions.

Accountability should not mean controlling another person's life. It should mean caring enough to speak the truth, offering guidance respectfully and helping one another avoid unnecessary harm.

5. CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE NEED MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS BEYOND FORMAL EDUCATION

Education is essential, but raising responsible individuals requires more than providing academic qualifications.

Children and young people need meaningful relationships with parents, relatives, mentors and responsible members of their communities.

They need opportunities to learn practical life skills, responsibility, financial management, conflict resolution, respect, integrity, communication and decision-making.

Parents cannot control every environment their children encounter, particularly as they grow older. Nevertheless, maintaining meaningful relationships makes it easier to identify concerns, provide guidance and offer support when necessary.

Young people who lack trusted relationships may become more vulnerable to harmful peer pressure, exploitation, substance abuse, criminal influences and other social problems.

Mentorship and intergenerational relationships are therefore important investments in the future of families and society.

6. SOCIAL ISOLATION WEAKENS COMMUNITIES AND COLLECTIVE DEVELOPMENT

Society is not built by governments, institutions and businesses alone. It is also built through everyday relationships among individuals, families and communities.

People who know and trust one another are generally better positioned to organize community activities, respond to emergencies, resolve misunderstandings, support vulnerable households and pursue shared development objectives.

Strong relationships can encourage community initiatives such as:

• Supporting vulnerable families, widows, orphans and older persons.

• Sharing employment, business and educational opportunities.

• Mentoring children and young people.

• Supporting people experiencing illness, disability or financial hardship.

• Resolving disagreements before they escalate into serious conflicts.

• Organizing community development and environmental activities.

• Promoting peace, responsible citizenship and mutual respect.

When people become disconnected, communities lose valuable social networks, knowledge, cooperation and opportunities for collective action.

This can increase dependence on external assistance while reducing the capacity of communities to identify and address their own challenges.

7. WHAT CAN WE DO TO REBUILD GENUINE RELATIONSHIPS?

Rebuilding meaningful relationships requires deliberate effort from individuals, families, communities, institutions and governments.

Some important steps include:

A. Make time for physical interaction.

Telephone calls and social media are useful, but they should complement rather than completely replace meaningful face-to-face relationships. Friends and family members should make reasonable efforts to visit one another, share experiences and participate in important family and community events.

B. Restore trust and responsible openness.

People should create relationships where they can discuss important matters honestly without fear of unnecessary humiliation, exploitation or betrayal. Trust must be built through consistency, honesty and responsible conduct.

C. Practise mutual care and responsibility.

Friendship and family relationships should not exist only for celebrations, entertainment, financial benefits or personal convenience. People should also be available during difficult moments, according to their abilities and circumstances.

D. Encourage healthy intergenerational relationships.

Children and young people should have meaningful opportunities to interact with responsible adults, learn from their experiences and receive mentorship. Older generations also have much to learn from younger generations.

E. Promote responsible accountability.

We should develop relationships in which people can respectfully correct, advise and challenge one another when necessary. Genuine care sometimes requires difficult but constructive conversations.

F. Use technology to strengthen, not replace, relationships.

Digital platforms should help people maintain meaningful connections, organize family activities, share opportunities and provide support, rather than create an illusion of closeness without genuine involvement.

G. Strengthen community-based support systems.

Religious institutions, professional associations, community organizations, social groups and local leadership structures should encourage meaningful interaction, mentorship, social responsibility and practical support for vulnerable people.

CONCLUSION: WE NEED ONE ANOTHER MORE THAN WE SOMETIMES REALIZE

Human beings are social beings. While independence, personal privacy and individual achievement are important, they should not come at the expense of meaningful relationships and mutual responsibility.

A person may have a good job, a successful business, financial investments, insurance policies, social media followers and membership in several organizations, yet lack someone they can genuinely trust when life becomes difficult.

Likewise, a family may appear successful externally while its members remain disconnected, unfamiliar with one another's challenges and unable to provide meaningful support.

We must therefore reconsider what it means to be a friend, a family member, a neighbour and a responsible member of society.

The objective should not be to return to every practice of earlier generations, nor to discourage independence and modern lifestyles. Rather, we should preserve the valuable elements of human relationships while embracing the opportunities and freedoms of modern society.

We need relationships built on trust, honesty, respect, openness, responsibility, compassion, accountability and genuine care.

A better society is not simply one in which individuals become more educated, wealthier or technologically advanced. It is also one in which people remain connected enough to understand, support, guide and care for one another.

Let us not become so independent that we lose the value of having one another.

Let us build better friendships, stronger families and more caring communities.

---

ELIJAH MUTUA KIRIMA
Social Worker
THE WORD OF GOD IS THE WILL OF GOD

 

FAMILY FINANCIAL PLANNING AND BUDGETING AS A KINGDOM STRATEGY

Managing God's provision, strengthening families, and advancing His Kingdom

God desires the very best for His people.

Jesus taught that although we are in this world, we do not belong to this world. He also made it clear that He did not desire that His followers be taken out of the world, but that they be protected from the evil one. This means that even as we live on earth, interact with others, and operate within the established economic and social systems, our lives should be guided by the principles of God's Kingdom.

One such area that requires us to live by Kingdom principles is the management of finances, material possessions, resources, and the things money can purchase.

While the pursuit and accumulation of money have become the primary goals and ambitions of many people, for those who believe in God through Jesus Christ, God's Kingdom and righteousness should remain the primary goal and vision.

Jesus taught:

Matthew 6:33

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

This teaching establishes an important principle: our pursuit of material needs and financial prosperity should never take precedence over our relationship with God, our responsibilities, and the values of His Kingdom.

In Malachi 3:13–18, God addresses those who questioned the value of serving Him, particularly when they observed that some people who did not honour Him appeared to prosper. Yet the passage shows that God recognizes those who fear Him, honour His name, and remain committed to Him.

It reminds us that serving God is not futile, even when the immediate material circumstances may suggest otherwise. Our relationship with God and our commitment to His principles must not be determined by how much money we have or how materially successful we appear to be.

When Jesus was questioned about paying taxes, He responded:

Matthew 22:20–21

"And he asked them, 'Whose image is this? And whose inscription?'

'Caesar's,' they replied.

Then he said to them, 'So give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's.'"

This teaching reminds us of the importance of fulfilling our responsibilities within the systems of this world while remaining faithful to God.

Money is an important instrument in the functioning of earthly systems. However, from a Kingdom perspective, people are of immeasurably greater value. Money should serve people, not people serve money. The resources entrusted to us should contribute to human dignity, well-being, relationships, and the advancement of God's purposes. Jesus message is clear, a person in authority will have taxes come to them, but only people transformed into the image of God can use that money to serve people. A couple can work hard and bring in money, that money should serve the family members and others or it's of no good value.

It is therefore important that Christian families develop a deliberate and responsible approach to financial planning and budgeting.

WHY FAMILY FINANCIAL PLANNING AND BUDGETING IS IMPORTANT

Family financial planning should not be viewed merely as an economic activity. It is also a strategy for building stronger marriages, responsible families, better communities, and more effective Christian service.

Some important reasons include:

1. To enable couples and individual family members to focus on what God values most.

Financial planning helps couples establish priorities that reflect Kingdom values rather than allowing the pursuit of money and material possessions to become the centre of their lives.

2. To help one another avoid becoming enslaved to the pursuit of money.

When couples openly discuss their financial goals, challenges, and ambitions, they can help one another maintain a proper perspective on wealth and material possessions. They can encourage one another not to sacrifice their relationship with God, family responsibilities, integrity, or peace in the pursuit of money.

3. To enable families to serve God effectively through serving people.

Financial planning makes it possible for families to deliberately allocate resources towards their children, relatives, neighbours, fellowships, churches, and communities. It creates opportunities to support people in need and participate in activities that improve the well-being of society.

4. To prevent one partner from being unfairly burdened with financial responsibilities.

Budgeting enables couples to understand their respective financial capacities and responsibilities. It helps prevent situations where one partner is continually expected to provide more than they can reasonably afford while the other remains unaware of the pressure involved.

5. To identify the advice, encouragement, or support each partner may need.

Financial discussions help couples understand one another's strengths, limitations, opportunities, and challenges. One partner may need financial guidance, skills development, encouragement, employment opportunities, or support in managing existing resources.

6. To strengthen love and mutual care above material possessions.

When financial matters are discussed openly and responsibly, couples can learn to appreciate one another beyond their financial contributions. A person's value in a marriage should never be measured solely by how much money they earn or provide.

7. To prevent unnecessary conflicts, suspicion, and mistrust in marriage.

Unclear financial arrangements can create disagreements, secrecy, resentment, and accusations. Agreeing on financial priorities, responsibilities, savings, and expenditure promotes transparency and mutual accountability.

8. To ensure that family needs and responsibilities are adequately provided for.

A family has several responsibilities, including food, housing, clothing, education, healthcare, transportation, and other essential needs. Budgeting helps ensure that these necessities are considered before money is spent on less important things.

9. To prepare for emergencies and unexpected circumstances.

Illness, unemployment, accidents, business losses, bereavement, and other unforeseen events can affect family stability. Financial planning encourages families to build emergency savings where possible and prepare for difficult circumstances rather than being caught completely unprepared.

10. To avoid unnecessary debts and financial bondage.

Without proper planning, families can easily borrow money to finance lifestyles and purchases they cannot sustainably afford. Budgeting helps distinguish between essential borrowing, manageable financial commitments, and unnecessary debt that can undermine family stability.

11. To promote saving, investment, and long-term financial security.

Financial planning helps families set aside resources for future needs, children's education, housing, retirement, and productive investments. Even when income is limited, developing a saving culture according to one's ability can contribute to greater financial stability.

12. To identify opportunities for improving family income.

A family budget helps reveal financial gaps and areas where income may need to increase. Couples can explore skills development, employment, entrepreneurship, farming, investments, and other legitimate income-generating opportunities.

13. To promote responsible parenting and prepare children for adulthood.

Children learn financial behaviour partly through observing their parents. When parents practise responsible spending, saving, sharing, and planning, they teach their children important life skills, including contentment, discipline, responsibility, and generosity.

14. To prevent wastefulness and promote responsible stewardship.

Budgeting helps families recognize unnecessary expenditure, avoid waste, and make better use of available resources. It encourages the understanding that whatever resources we have should be managed responsibly, regardless of their size.

15. To promote fairness, equality, and mutual participation in family decisions.

Financial planning should allow both partners to participate in decisions according to their circumstances and responsibilities. Whether one partner earns more, both earn, or one partner contributes through unpaid domestic and caregiving responsibilities, both should be respected and included in decisions affecting the family.

16. To support relatives and vulnerable members of society without compromising family stability.

Many families have responsibilities beyond their immediate households. They may support ageing parents, siblings, extended family members, or people experiencing difficult circumstances. Budgeting helps families determine what they can sustainably give without neglecting their own essential responsibilities.

17. To enable families to participate in church and community development.

When families plan their finances, they can deliberately support Christian fellowship, charitable activities, community development, education, feeding programmes, and other initiatives that demonstrate God's love in practical ways.

18. To prepare for different stages and seasons of life.

Family financial needs change with time. Marriage, childbirth, children's education, career changes, retirement, and ageing bring different responsibilities. Financial planning enables families to anticipate these changes and prepare accordingly.

19. To protect family dignity, independence, and peace of mind.

Although financial planning cannot eliminate every difficulty, it can reduce avoidable financial pressure, dependence, and uncertainty. It enables families to approach challenges with greater preparedness and confidence.

20. To ensure that financial success does not come at the expense of family relationships and spiritual well-being.

A family may accumulate considerable wealth but lose its unity, love, peace, and commitment to God in the process. Financial planning should therefore include not only financial targets but also the preservation of relationships, time together, spiritual growth, and mutual care.

MONEY IS IMPORTANT, BUT IT MUST REMAIN IN ITS PROPER PLACE

While money is important, its importance should always be understood and pursued from the proper Kingdom perspective.

Apostle Paul reminds believers of the need to maintain a proper balance:

1 Timothy 6:7–10

"For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.

But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."

The problem is not money itself. The problem is allowing the love of money to control our decisions, relationships, ambitions, and conduct.

A Christian family should therefore pursue financial stability and prosperity without compromising honesty, love, justice, generosity, contentment, and commitment to God.

PRACTICAL PRINCIPLES FOR FAMILY FINANCIAL PLANNING

For financial planning and budgeting to be effective, couples should consider the following:

• Transparency: Both partners should be honest about their income, debts, financial obligations, and financial commitments.

• Joint planning: Financial decisions affecting the family should be discussed and agreed upon together.

• Realistic budgeting: Expenditure should be guided by actual income and financial capacity rather than unrealistic expectations.

• Prioritization: Essential needs and responsibilities should take priority over luxuries and unnecessary expenditure.

• Saving: Families should cultivate a saving culture, however small their financial capacity may be.

• Debt management: Existing debts should be acknowledged and managed responsibly, while unnecessary borrowing should be avoided.

• Giving and generosity: Families should deliberately consider how to support God's work and people in need according to their ability.

• Periodic review: Budgets should be reviewed regularly and adjusted when income, responsibilities, or circumstances change.

• Mutual respect: Neither partner should use money to control, intimidate, humiliate, or undermine the other.

• Accountability: Both partners should take responsibility for agreed financial commitments and work together towards their goals.

It is also important to recognize that family contributions are not limited to money. A partner who provides childcare, household management, emotional support, or other unpaid services is making a valuable contribution to the family. Financial planning should recognize these contributions and promote dignity and fairness.

CONCLUSION: FAMILY FINANCIAL PLANNING IS ALSO KINGDOM SERVICE

God's Kingdom is about more than what we profess with our mouths. It is also reflected in how we live, how we treat people, how we manage what has been entrusted to us, and how we respond to the needs of others.

A family that plans its finances responsibly is better positioned to provide for its members, maintain healthy relationships, support God's work, and contribute to the well-being of society.

We should not allow money to become the master of our families when it is supposed to be a resource for serving God and humanity.

Financial planning is not about how much money a family has. It is about how wisely, fairly, and responsibly the available resources are managed.

Whether a family has a lot or very little, the principles of planning, accountability, contentment, generosity, and mutual responsibility remain important.

Let us build families where money serves love, possessions serve people, financial decisions promote peace, and resources contribute to the advancement of God's Kingdom.

May our families become good stewards of God's provision, demonstrating through our lives that seeking God's Kingdom and righteousness comes first.

---

ELIJAH MUTUA KIRIMA
PASTOR
THE WORD OF GOD IS THE WILL OF GOD.

 

A CHURCH MINISTER CAN INFORM AND INSTRUCT PEOPLE WITHOUT QUOTING A SINGLE SCRIPTURE AND STILL BE WITHIN SCRIPTURES.

A church minister can inform, teach and instruct people without quoting a single Bible verse and still remain entirely within the teachings and principles of Scripture. Equally, someone can quote several Bible verses on a particular subject and still be wrong in their interpretation, application or understanding of God's Word.

The number of scriptures quoted does not necessarily determine the accuracy of a teaching. What matters is whether what is being communicated is consistent with the truth, principles, purpose and spirit of God's Word.

In his first letter to Timothy, particularly 1 Timothy 1:3–5, 6, Paul addresses the dangers of false teaching and the misuse of religious knowledge. Interestingly, some of the people he was correcting were engaging with the law but were not properly understanding what they were saying or the implications of their teachings.

Paul was concerned about preventing the following:

1. False doctrines

False doctrine involves teaching beliefs or interpretations that contradict the truth of God's Word. A person can use biblical language, quote scriptures and still communicate false doctrine through misinterpretation, distortion or inappropriate application of Scripture.

2. Devotion to myths

What did Paul mean by myths?

In this context, myths refer to unfounded stories, speculative religious narratives and traditions that lack a sound basis in God's revealed truth. Such ideas can distract people from the genuine message of faith and create unnecessary controversies.

The problem is not simply that something is historical or traditional. Rather, it is when people become devoted to unsubstantiated accounts and speculations that do not advance God's truth or the purpose of faith.

3. Endless genealogies

Paul also warns against endless genealogies, which promote controversies rather than God's work, which is advanced by faith.

Genealogies are not inherently wrong. The Bible itself contains genealogies. However, when people become excessively occupied with tracing origins, ancestry or religious lineages in ways that generate disputes rather than edification, they lose sight of what truly matters.

If an argument, teaching or practice is wrong, establishing its historical origin does not automatically make it right. Its correctness must be examined against the truth.

4. Meaningless talk

Meaningless talk refers to speech that does not contribute to truth, understanding, spiritual growth or the genuine purpose of faith.

It can include unnecessary arguments, speculation, empty religious discussions, baseless assertions and debates that produce more controversy than understanding.

Not every lengthy discussion is meaningful, and not every short statement is meaningless. The important consideration is whether our communication serves a worthwhile and truthful purpose.

WHAT SHOULD BE THE OBJECTIVE OF OUR TEACHING AND INSTRUCTION?

Paul makes this particularly clear in 1 Timothy 1:5:

"The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith."

We therefore identify four important considerations:

1. Love: Our teaching and communication should be motivated by genuine love for God and people.

2. A pure heart: Our intentions should be free from malice, selfish ambition and the desire to mislead or harm others.

3. A good conscience: We should communicate what we genuinely believe to be right, taking responsibility for our words, actions and their consequences.

4. A sincere faith: Our teaching should arise from genuine faith in God rather than pretence, manipulation or a desire to impress people.

CAN SOMEONE QUOTE SCRIPTURE AND STILL BE WRONG?

Absolutely!

The very people Paul was addressing demonstrate this possibility. In 1 Timothy 1:7, he speaks about those who desired to be teachers of the law but did not understand either what they were saying or the matters about which they made confident assertions.

This demonstrates that quoting the law does not automatically mean that someone understands it, interprets it correctly or applies it appropriately.

CAN SOMEONE TEACH OR INSTRUCT WITHOUT QUOTING SCRIPTURE WORD FOR WORD AND STILL BE IN HARMONY WITH GOD'S WORD?

Absolutely!

A minister can explain truth, give practical examples, offer guidance, address social and family issues, and provide instructions without necessarily quoting a Bible verse in every statement.

For example, advising people to treat one another with dignity, fulfil their responsibilities, avoid dishonesty, protect children, respect others and resolve disagreements peacefully is consistent with biblical principles, even when a particular Bible verse is not quoted.

The important thing is that such instruction must remain consistent with Scripture, rather than contradicting or replacing it.

After all, the purpose of teaching God's Word is not merely to produce people who can quote verses, but people who understand, believe and practise the truth.

James 1:22 reminds us to be doers of the Word and not hearers only.

WHAT ABOUT WRITING TO IMPRESS PEOPLE?

Not at all!

My writing and communication are motivated by love, a good conscience and sincere faith. My intention is not to impress people through the use of biblical quotations, sophisticated language or religious arguments, but to communicate what I genuinely believe contributes to truth, understanding and the well-being of people and communities.

And concerning the motives behind our actions and communication, Paul reminds us that God has the final record.

1 Corinthians 4:5 (NIV)

"Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God."

Human beings may misunderstand one another, make premature judgments or misinterpret the intentions behind someone's communication. However, God sees beyond the words and examines the motives of the heart.

This does not mean that our teachings and actions should be exempt from examination or accountability. Rather, we should be careful not to condemn people's motives without sufficient knowledge, while remaining committed to examining what is taught against the truth.

CONCLUSION

Let us not measure the correctness of a minister's teaching merely by the number of scriptures quoted. Neither should we dismiss sound instruction simply because a minister has not quoted a Bible verse word for word.

Let us pursue understanding, truth, love, pure hearts, good consciences and sincere faith.

The ultimate objective of teaching God's Word is not to win arguments, demonstrate religious superiority or impress audiences. It is to help people understand the truth and live by it.

Elijah Mutua Kirima
Pastor
THE WORD OF GOD IS THE WILL OF GOD.