Let's Be Friends

Last week I once again realized the importance of friends.  True friends.  Friends that speak truth to your soul, call you closer to God, and remind you of heaven.  The Apostle Paul calls them, “dear friends”… Anne of Green Gables, “kindred spirits”.  When we have an encounter with a friend like this, it truly is the Spirit that is kindled.  I’m not talking about the friends you call when you want to go see the latest movie or chat on Facebook.  I mean fellowship of the soul. 

We all need fellowship on this level.  Although not always easy to find, when we get the opportunity we can and should be ready to open our hearts.  Many times I can fall prey to self-preservation, busy-ness, or allow myself to be too distracted to take hold of these precious moments.  My air of “I-have-it-all-together-and-don’t-need-anyone’s-help, thank-you-very-much,” can make me seem unapproach- able. I can also become pacified with surface level relationships, because deep ones take time, vulnerability and purposeful-ness.   However, when we make the effort and allow God to provide these opportunities for our souls to rub up against another’s, our hearts will be blessed. 

Proverbs 27:9
Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice. 

In John chapter 15, Jesus tells us how deep friendship should look, act and feel:  Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13).

It is through the laying down of our lives, and our expectations that we can be Jesus to one another and love like he loves.  He tells his disciples that he no longer calls them servants, but rather friends because he has shared all that the Father has shared with him.  Jesus shared his heart, unashamedly and without regret.  He chose to minister to a lost world through a group of friends.  He could have used, and still could for that matter, many other means of reaching the world, but he chooses people.  He chooses you.   He chooses friendship.    

Philippians 2:1-3
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,... 

Dear Lord, thank you for moments in time when we connect with friends in deep and meaningful ways.  Thank you for putting people in our path that can speak words of conviction, encouragement, and love to our hearts.  Help us to be a friend to others like Jesus was…help us to need and want friends like Jesus.  Forgive us for times when we try to self-sustain.  Let us not be afraid of open, honest, vulnerability.  We love you and thank you for loving us.  Amen. 

Dana Jaworski
Anchor Point, AK