Our human bodies need physical nutrients to stay healthy. Too little of these nutrients, and our bodies can become susceptible to disease and sickness.
Dr. John Townsend, psychologist and founder of the Townsend Institute for Leadership and Counseling, says the same thing holds true with relationships. If we don’t get the right nutrients from others, and, in turn, give them to others, then our relationships will suffer and it will hamper us from becoming who we are meant to be in the kingdom of God.
Jesus, Townsend says, was an energy gainer as a leader and teacher. His question for you is, are you an energy gainer or an energy drainer in your relationships?
“Yes, Jesus spent time with the sick and feeble, the blind and the hurting. But he also spent a great amount of time in a training program with 12 dudes,” Townsend told Dr. Steve Greene on a recent episode of Greenelines on the Charisma Podcast Network. “We all need more energy, the vitality that helps us stay motivated, focused and productive in life.
“In other words, we need the right kind of relationship with others. Not the ones that drain us, but the ones that refuel us. Jesus spent all that time in one-on-one training in the highest-level development program with his disciples, and then they went out and healed the sick and healed their souls because of his training.
“When we experience these critical elements from others, as the disciples did from Jesus, then we can grow mentally and emotionally, and stay shaper and healthier. And as we give these elements back, others benefit as well. You need to have concrete steps to help you cultivate relationships with those who will help you be all you were meant to be.”
For more about Townsend’s ministry and how you can fuel your relationships, listen to this podcast.
Curt Landry 
Michael L. Brown 
Rabbi Eric Tokajer