Your Best Friend

 

It is amazing the different misconceptions that people have about the person-hood of God! In some cultures, God is seen as an angry deity that can only be appeased by throwing a virgin into an active volcano. Some see God as a celestial policeman, waiting for you to misbehave so that He can hit you on the head for stepping out of line. While others see God as a divine vending machine. They deposit their prayers and God dispenses an answer. Personally as a young believer, I lived with a constant tension of trying to live such a “holy life” that the slightest misstep would displease God. Galatians 6:16

I believe that the majority of Christ-followers have not truly grasped the truth of John 15:15; “I no longer call you servants,... Instead, I have called you friends...” Christians think of Jesus as their Lord, Savior, King and Master. However, believers rarely think of Jesus as being a close friend. Though that might sound strange to you at first, Jesus actually wants us to think this way. Jesus is our King, but He never wants us to feel that we are beneath Him. He wants us to talk to Him, come to Him during our times of trouble, and build a loving, long-lasting friendship.

The amazing thing it is God who initiates this friendship. That means being a friend of God does not lessen our reverence of Him. Once you see all the things that a friendship with Jesus offers, you will realize that He is the best friend that you could ever have. A truly happy life is made possible when we choose to have a friendship with Him! 

Where Have All The People Gone?

 

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.