Galatians 6:7 tells us plainly that we reap what we sow—and I believe this is especially true of family relationships. If we sow affection, commitment, and encouragement into the lives of our children, chances are we will reap deep, close relationships with them.

The most intelligent instructor in the world becomes a noisy gong or clanging cymbal to the mind of a child if there is not love present in the relationship. But the ones who purposefully and intentionally lay down their lives to do the hard work of loving and winning hearts will find a pathway to influencing their children for a lifetime.

Because people will last through eternity, relationships have eternal significance. The relationships we make and cultivate and nurture will also sustain us throughout all of life's seasons. The quality of our relationships help determine the level of friendship we can enjoy, the depth of intimacy we can share, the success of our marriages, our ability to work with and influence other people, and even our ability to relate to God.

Read more about this in The Mission of Motherhood.