Living Proof: How Faith Transforms Every Relationship

Dr. Spencer R. Fusselman

Have you ever felt it? The friction in a relationship, the disconnect in your home, the feeling that things are simply not the way they’re supposed to be? In a world that so often feels fractured and broken, it’s easy to believe this is just the way things are. But what if there was a better way? What if you were promised a completely new life?

For a follower of Christ, this isn’t a distant hope; it’s a present reality. The Bible declares, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). As Pastor Steve shared in a recent message, this isn’t just a comforting thought—it is a life-altering power that is meant to redesign every one of your relationships from the inside out, making your life the most compelling sermon you will ever preach.

This incredible transformation begins when we stop trying to fix things on our own and start joyfully living “on mission for Christ”. It’s about aligning our hearts with His, operating under His loving leadership in every aspect of life. And nowhere is this redesign more crucial or more beautiful than within the family.

The Family Blueprint
What if God, in His infinite wisdom, didn’t leave us guessing how to build a thriving family? What if He gave us a blueprint—a divine design for relationships that, when honored, unleashes peace and purpose into our homes? The sermon illuminates this incredible framework, revealing the unique and complementary roles that create a family that glorifies God. The master plan looks like this:

For Children: A Call to Honor
For Fathers: A Call to Lead – Demonstrate the Way
For Mothers: A Call to Nurture

For Children: A Call to Honor
The entire structure finds its strength in the child’s posture toward their parents. The call is clear, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right” (Ephesians 6:1). This isn't about blind obedience; it's an invitation to step into a current of divine blessing. For a child whose heart belongs to the Lord, this honor becomes an act of worship, a tangible way of saying, “God, I trust Your design.” This is so foundational that Paul reminds us it is the “first commandment with promise” (Ephesians 6:2). God Himself attaches a profound blessing to this act of honor, “‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth’” (Ephesians 6:3, NKJV). Imagine that! Living a life of honor toward your parents aligns you with the very flow of God’s goodness. As Pastor Steve reminds us, this call has no statute of limitations; it is a lifelong invitation to receive a blessing by giving honor.

For Fathers: A Call to Lead – Demonstrate the Way
A father holds a sacred trust, accountable to God for the spiritual climate of his home. His call is to lead by demonstrating the way of Christ. This leadership is defined by two powerful actions. First, he must establish a boundary of safety, “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath” (Ephesians 6:4). A father has the power to cultivate a garden of encouragement or a wasteland of frustration. As Pastor Steve illustrated, inconsistency, broken promises, or making light of a child’s struggles can provoke and discourage them.

But a father is called to more than just avoiding harm; he is called to a positive, life-giving mission: to “bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). This is the holy work of showing his children what a Christ-follower looks like. It is modeling repentance, demonstrating love, and leading with a grace that disciplines and restores.

For Mothers: A Call to Nurture
A mother is the heartbeat of the home, the life-giving presence that turns a house into a sanctuary. While fathers are called to lead the training, mothers are uniquely called to nurture the hearts that receive it. The Apostle Paul urged the older women to “admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children” (Titus 2:4). This love is the very essence of nurturing—it is the act of cherishing, encouraging, and tending to the emotional and spiritual soil of a child’s soul. It is in her arms that children learn of comfort, from her voice they first hear of Jesus, and through her nurturing presence, they understand the gentle kindness of God.

This incredible, transformative faith is not meant to be left at home. Your desk, your tools, your keyboard—they can all become instruments of worship. Paul calls both employees and employers to a higher standard, reminding them that their work is a witness. He urges employees to serve with “sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart” (Ephesians 6:5-6).

Can you imagine the impact you could have if you saw every task as a direct assignment from the King of Kings? Pastor Steve challenged, "How is my work when nobody's watching?". When your audience is God, integrity becomes your default, and excellence becomes your worship. Likewise, leaders are reminded that all authority comes from God. They are to lead with fairness and kindness, “giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him” (Ephesians 6:9).

Identifying the Real Enemy
If this is God’s beautiful design, why is there still so much conflict? It’s time to open our spiritual eyes. We are in a battle, but too often, we are fighting the wrong enemy. Jesus warned us in John 10:10, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly”.

The enemy’s primary strategy is to turn you against your own family, your coworkers, and your friends. As Pastor Steve passionately declared, “Husbands, your wife is not the enemy. Wives, your husband is not the enemy. Parents, your kids are not the enemy... Workers, your boss is not the enemy”. This is a rallying cry! It’s a call to stop fighting the wrong battles so we can, through the power of Christ, win the one that truly matters.

How can you begin applying these truths today?

Start with a Heart Check. Ask yourself the question Pastor Steve posed: "What changes do I need to make through the power of the Holy Spirit to live differently in my relationships?". Before you can follow the blueprint, your heart must first be submitted to the Architect.

Implement the Home Blueprint.

• Children (of any age): Find a tangible way to honor your parents this week. This could be a phone call to listen without giving advice, helping with a task without being asked, or simply speaking to them with a newfound respect.
• Fathers: Identify one way you might be unintentionally "provoking" your children (e.g., inconsistency, impatience). Ask God for the grace to replace that behavior with intentional "training and admonition". Demonstrate the way.
• Mothers: Focus on the act of "nurturing" this week. Find a specific way to encourage your children, to care for their emotional needs, and to create a safe space for them to receive spiritual guidance.

Transform Your Workplace Witness. For one day this week, consciously view every task, meeting, and interaction at work as an act of service "as to the Lord". See what changes in your attitude and your performance when your audience is God, not your boss.

Identify the Real Enemy. The next time you feel conflict rising in a key relationship, pause and pray before you react. Ask yourself, "Is this person my enemy, or is the enemy trying to use this situation to steal, kill, and destroy?". This simple question can shift your entire posture from defense to discernment.