Friends

I have often heard the Christian life described as a pilgrimage. At times it can be difficult and we who walk it may feel lonely. We may battle with discouragement and even consider abandoning the adventure, giving up the journey. It is at these times God brings friends into our lives to walk alongside us. Friendship is one of God’s greatest gifts and having a friend who encourages us and challenges us to continue the journey is a blessing.

The Scriptures often refers to a friend as one who encourages us to be all that God calls us to be and who challenges us to be more than we think we can, a person who knows who we really are and loves us anyway. The mark of a friend in the biblical sense is one who draws us closer to God, someone who “sharpens” us and motivates us to do what is right, even if it appears difficult or unpopular.

True friends tell you the truth, even when you do not want to hear it, and they do this with love, always having your best interest at heart. A true friend does not seek to wound but will not accept actions or behavior that may not be in your best interest. Their primary concern is your growth as a believer in Jesus Christ. My wife Irene is the ultimate example of this type of friend in my life.

With all this in mind it is easy to see why we must be careful in our choice of close friends. We all have friends at different levels of life. However, when we read the Scriptures we see that Jesus chose his closest friends with great care. He did not seek out the most popular, the wealthiest or even the folks who were considered perfect by others. He chose those whose hearts were set of following God.

I am of Welsh decent and there is an old Welsh saying I like to share: “When you run with the wolves, you learn how to howl.” Another way of saying this might simply be: we will act and behave like the friends we keep. Yes, friends are important, but so are the types of friends we keep. We are all influenced daily in a positive or negative way by those closest to us.

It is also very important to examine what kind of friend you are to others. Are you a positive encouragement, motivating others to move closer to God and seeking to do their best for him? Do you challenge others to grow in their faith? Are you one who sharpens those around you? These are questions we must honestly ask ourselves on a regular basis if we are to be the type of friend others seek out.

As a friend we must always try to place the needs of others above our own and love at all times, always remembering to love people for who they are, not just for what needs they meet in us or what status they bring to the relationship.

Remember as we continue this pilgrimage we like to call the Christian life, we must seek out godly friends and want to be one ourselves. We must be receptive to the way God uses all of us along the journey, committed to the entire adventure, not just the parts we enjoy the most or those which are comfortable or convenient for us at the time.

Finally we must strive to be the kind of friend who reflects God’s character in every relationship and seek others of like mindedness. In the end we will all be able to identify with Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”

RefRev