Humans came to this world in the context of a relationship with their Creator. When we love, serve and care for others, we're fulfilling God's plan for relationship. God wants us to love, serve and care for others — unconditionally and completely — just as God loves us. When we do love, serve and care for others — spouse, children, parents, friends, family and strangers — we’re fulfilling God’s plan for relationship.

Our lives are henceforth lived in relationship with others. We learn of the love of God through the love we experience on this earth and about our own value in relationship with our parents or caretakers. We show the love of God to others through our relationships. Henceforth our relationships require tools, time, and effort in order to grow and thrive.

Then God said, ‘‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness’’…So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:26a, 27 NRSV