Willard Harley writes about marriage, but his wisdom applies to every relationship. He introduces the concept of a “love bank”—an inner account we all carry, unconsciously keeping a ledger for every person we know. Debits and credits, deposits and withdrawals, add up to a balance sheet for each relationship. Harley’s advice for couples is simple: keep making deposits. When you make more withdrawals than deposits, you go into emotional debt, which can damage a relationship. The goal is to stay in the positive by adding to those accounts as often as possible.

But this principle goes beyond marriage. Imagine approaching life as a series of opportunities to make deposits in people’s love banks—to give, to serve, to encourage—without keeping score. The real secret is not tracking your contributions, but giving freely and generously. Over time, you’ll find yourself surrounded by people whose emotional balance sheets with you are overflowing.

My friend, what happens to your life when you’re surrounded by people who serve and give? What happens to your financial situation, your health, your joy? Your life improves—your health, your happiness, even the little things, like sharing good food. And if all those people gather together, filled with love for you, the outcome can only be positive. As you allow the Holy Spirit to guide, that’s the power of continually making deposits in the love banks of those around you.