Some people wonder why they do not have any friends. Some have blamed the invention of the air conditioner. Before A/C, people would sit on their front porches in the evening and try to catch a breeze to cool off. They would wave at neighbors and visit with the ones who stopped to chat over a glass of lemonade. With air conditioning installed, people can stay inside and don't have to interact with their neighbors.
Attaching a garage didn't help either. Instead of walking from our driveways and exchanging greetings with our neighbors, we pull in, shut the door, and we're inside our house. Fences, gated communities, and caller ID reinforced the idea that we want to be left alone. We don't have to interact with people, so we don't.
But Jesus always had time for other people. He talked to them, fed them, healed them, and forgave them. It is interesting that at least ten times in the Gospels, Jesus was interrupted by people while He was ministering to others. Matthew 8:5-13, vs 14-15 Matthew 9:1-8 are just a few. How did He respond? He stopped what He was doing and ministered to the individual.
Today take time to stop, listen, and talk with someone you see every day but rarely slow down to get to know. It's easy to make excuses why we don't engage with people in our daily lives. If you want friends, you must take the first step by being a friend. Proverbs 18:24 says, A man who has friends must himself be friendly.
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