As Christians, we are called to relate to one another as brothers and sisters, as family. We cannot understand this family of Christians unless we first understand the gift of covenant. Tim lives in a culture that is rapidly losing its experience with, and the skills necessary to live in, covenant relationships. Tim lives in a world of contracts, not covenants. Everything is negotiated in advance, both parties voluntarily sign the agreement, and when the contract is complete, no further obligation remains on either side.
Contracts encourage prior calculation of risk and benefit.
This contractual way of relating to others works quite well in business. Yet it is disastrous in personal relationships. In the end, contractual relationships leave us feeling uncared for and disposable. Nowhere is the corrosive effect of the contractual mentality more obvious than in the current, sad state of the institution of marriage. A covenant is a promise of love, loyalty and faithfulness.