Bankrupt Relationships
Why love grows the same way savings do—one small deposit at a time
Opening Story / Insight
A few years ago, a coworker asked me for advice. He had just found out he was going to have his first child—a daughter—and he wanted to know what I’d learned from being a dad.
I thought of a hundred practical things I could say.
Don’t waste money on baby clothes.
Prepare yourself for Disney princesses.
You can’t injury-proof a house as well as you think you can.
But what came to mind instead was… banking.
I told him this: We spend a huge amount of time watching our money—checking balances, saving, investing, tracking assets and liabilities. We know our net worth because we know how much we’ve put in versus how much we’ve taken out.
And then I said, relationships work the exact same way.
Relationships Have Balances
I told him to picture his relationship with his daughter like opening a brand-new bank account.
Every story read.
Every tea party joined.
Every dance watched.
Every lunch shared.
Every game played.
Every hug given.
Those are deposits.
You don’t realize how much they add up while you’re making them—but over 5, 10, 15 years, the balance grows.
And the return?
Trust.
Listening.
Respect.
Security.
It becomes the account she draws from on hard days—and the account you draw from when you need to offer guidance, correction, or advice.
Withdrawals Without Deposits
Relationships become bankrupt the same way finances do.
If we:
Spend emotionally
Take without giving
Focus primarily on ourselves
Demand without investing
Eventually the balance hits zero.
When that happens, trust closes.
Respect erodes.
Love dries up.
And reopening the account is far harder than keeping it healthy in the first place.
One Quote Worth Keeping
This line captures the entire principle:
“Small deposits—made consistently—over time—equal huge returns.”
That’s how love grows.
That’s how trust compounds.
That’s how relationships become resilient.
Christ Teaches the Same Principle
Jesus taught this exact idea when He described the final accounting of our relationship with Him.
He didn’t ask what we said.
He asked what we did.
Feeding.
Visiting.
Clothing.
Serving.
Small, daily acts—made consistently—over time.
That’s how relationships with God grow.
That’s how relationships with people grow.
When an Account Is Low—or Closed
Here’s the hopeful part:
If the account is still open, it doesn’t matter how small the balance is. You can start today.
But if it’s closed, you can’t force a deposit.
Sometimes all you can do is:
Let the other person know you’re ready
Be patient
Wait for the door to reopen
And when it does—start small. One deposit at a time.
Today’s Daily Challenge
Identify one relationship that needs a deposit.
Don’t overthink it.
A text
A compliment
A shared moment
A small act of service
Just make one deposit today.
Because while money stays here when we leave…
Every deposit made in love becomes eternal currency.
For more daily devotionals, visit:
👉 https://joshdowns.com/daily-devotionals
For weekly gospel-based lessons designed for teens, explore:
👉 https://joshdowns.com/come-follow-me-for-teens
You’re building something that lasts. One small deposit at a time.
