MUTUALITY AND ONE SIDED RELATIONSHIP

 

Healthy relationships are built on mutual care. They may not always be balanced in effort or resources, but they are guided by respect and consideration. At different times, one person may give more than the other, and that is part of life. What matters is the shared understanding that both people are committed to each other’s well being, not just to what they can receive.

Some people grow used to receiving all their lives. Even when it is convenient for them to give, they find ways to remain on the receiving end. Over time, this habit shapes how others see them. The world is quick to label, and people begin to withdraw. Gradually, such individuals become isolated, not always by intention, but by reputation. When they truly need help, it becomes difficult for others to tell the difference. Their need is often mistaken for greed, because that is all that has been seen before.

This pattern reflects what parasitic relationships often produce. Constant taking, without appreciation or effort in return, leaves behind bitterness and lack. Those who live this way often feel empty and dissatisfied. They seem to always need more, not because nothing is available, but because generosity and contentment are missing. A heart trained only to receive rarely finds rest.

The Bible offers a different picture in the story of the widow who gave her last coins at the temple. While others gave more in amount, her gift carried greater value. She gave all she had, sincerely and without display. Jesus affirmed her offering, not because it was large, but because of the heart behind it. This reminds us that it is not always the quantity of what we give, but the quality and intention with which it is given. Mutual relationships are sustained by sincere giving, even in small ways. Where this spirit exists, there is growth and peace. Where it is absent, bitterness, lack and loneliness often remain.