Wealth Builders

Relationship currency-leveraging while still in demand

Jeremiah 29:11 TPT

[11] Here’s what Yahweh says to you: “I know all about the marvelous destiny I have in store for you, a future planned out in detail. My intention is not to harm you but to surround you with peace and prosperity and to give you a beautiful future, glistening with hope.

https://bible.com/bible/1849/jer.29.11.TPT

The city of Alor Setar woke gently each morning. The call to prayer drifted through the air, bicycles rolled past wooden houses, and the vast green rice fields shimmered under the Malaysian sun. From the shadow of the Zahir Mosque to the steady rhythm of daily life, everything in Alor Setar felt connected—people knew one another, greeted each other by name, and shared stories as easily as they shared meals. It was in this close-knit city that a teenager named Kasih began to understand the power of a special kind of currency.

Kasih had learned that not all currencies are printed or digital. Some are invisible but far more powerful. One day, a mentor explained to her that there are three types of currencies, and one of the most valuable is relationship currency. Relationship currency is built on trust, respect, and connection. Unlike money, it grows when used—but decays when ignored. When left unused for too long, it becomes like old coins forgotten in a drawer—valuable once, but now obsolete.

Kasih thought about her life. She knew people who owned shops near the market, teachers who believed in her, elders who had offered guidance, and friends who admired her discipline. Yet she had never reached out. She realized that relationships, like opportunities, must be activated. Waiting too long turns warmth into distance, and familiarity into silence.

One afternoon, as the sun dipped over the rice fields, Kasih decided to act. She made a phone call she had been postponing—to a family friend who ran a small logistics business. She didn’t ask for money. She asked for advice. That single conversation opened doors to learning, mentorship, and perspective. Her relationship currency had not only retained value—it had multiplied.

Kasih began to understand that financially intelligent people do not wait until they are desperate to reconnect. They invest in relationships before they need them. Every call, meeting, and genuine conversation keeps the currency fresh, relevant, and powerful. In a world moving fast, those who nurture relationships move further.

As evening lights flickered across Alor Setar and the city settled into calm, Kasih smiled. She had learned that wealth is not only what you earn—but who you stay connected to and how boldly you engage those connections.

She remembered a Malay saying her grandmother loved:

“Bulat air kerana pembetung, bulat manusia kerana muafakat.”
(Water is shaped by its channel; people are shaped by unity.)

And with that wisdom, Kasih chose action over delay—making the call, setting the meeting, and leveraging her relationship currency while it was still warm.