The other day, I did something you should never do.

I read the comments on the Pope’s Twitter. If you’re thinking about doing that. Just don’t. It’s not good.

To be polite, it’s a lot of deeply troubled people. With a lot of messed up ideas about God, the Church, and the Holy Father.

One of the more messed up ideas? That God is insecure, emotionally needy.

That’s why God is constantly saying things like we see in today’s Psalm. Telling us to praise Him, to love Him, to honor Him. To be grateful for all the good He has done for us.

We’re supposed to do that to help God compensate for His low self-esteem.

Not only is it simply not true. But it’s one of those bad ideas about God that says more about the person who believes it, than it does about God.

Because what it says is, “I’ve never had a healthy, long-term relationship – family, friend, or romantic.”

Why do I say that? Because if you’ve ever been in a long-term relationship of any kind, you know the importance of what you tell yourself about the other person.

You can be related to, friends with, or married to, the most amazing person in the world. But if you start thinking about them or calling them things like “the old bag,” “that wet blanket,” “my old lady,” “that old goat,” “that stick in the mud.” Stuff like that. You’re on a road to ruin with that relationship.

Seriously? Yes. Even if it started out as a joke. If you keep on repeating it. Whether you mean to or not, it will change how you see them. You’ll start to see them that way.

And if any of that ever leaks out, if they find out about what you think about them? They will be crushed. Thinking “that’s what she thinks about me,” “that’s what he says about me.”

You won’t actually change them. They’ll keep on being the amazing person that they are.

But in your eyes? You’ll start to see them as “the old bag.” You’ll start to frame everything they say and do through the perspective of “that stick in the mud.” Until they become “that wet blanket.” For you.

This is why a lot of people who divorce “the old bag.” Are surprised to see them later as the amazing person they always were. Because with time and distance (and maybe the validation of a new significant other), they’re finally seeing their ex for who they really are.

The cure for that? Start seeing them for who they really are. Right now.

Start thinking about them and referring to them like they are in their best moments. Things like “kind,” “loyal,” “strong,” “beautiful,” “patient,” “loving.” And that’s how you’ll start to see them.

And if any of that ever leaks out, if they find out about what you think about them? They will be ten feet tall. Thinking “that’s what she thinks about me,” “that’s what he says about me.” Nine times out of ten, they’ll even try to live up to it.

God knows all of this. And God is well-aware of our capacity for poisoning our relationships this way.

Do you know what God wants from you and me?

A relationship. A healthy, long-term (as in eternal), loving relationship. A relationship so good, so powerful that it literally transforms every part of your life.

This is the “why” behind everything God does in the Bible. You need look no further than Good Friday for proof.

That’s why God is constantly saying things like we see in today’s Psalm. Telling us to praise Him, to love Him, to honor Him. To be grateful for all the good He has done for us.

To keep us from poisoning the relationship that He wants to have with us.

This relationship with you is so important to God, that God wants to make sure that nothing comes between you and Him.

Including what you tell yourself about Him.