Are relationships worth it?

In Secondary Chapel this term, we have been thinking about the theme of relationships. Mr Watson often says: ‘the quality of your relationships determines the quality of your life.’ This is obviously a very broad theme, and we cannot cover everything in one term! However, we have broken it down into a few areas, which I will share across the term.

In our first Chapel, we asked the question: are relationships even worth the effort, especially when they can be such hard work?

I used an analogy where I got two students on stage who had pots full of dirt, slugs, and snails in front of them. However, at the bottom was a $5 cafe voucher. Without hesitation, the students rummaged through, not worrying about the grime and mess, because they saw something of worth and value at the bottom. Hopefully, the point was obvious: when we see the value and worth in others, we are more likely to work through the mess.

The opening chapter of the Bible says that humans are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-28), and that we all have intrinsic worth. Some even call this a ‘divine spark’. Jesus practised this, as when he engaged with the outcasts and ‘sinners’. He saw the worth and value in them despite their status and past. At NBCS we aim to do the same. All students, staff and parents have intrinsic worth. Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. We have many interactions throughout our time here. Classrooms. Cafe lines. Buses. Sport field. Rehearsals. The list goes on. And things can get messy sometimes.

When they do, our hope is that we see the worth and value in the other, and to go ‘digging’ through the mess, because our relationships are worth it. After all, they can determine the quality of our lives.

Damien Whitington