That’s what friends are for
March 23, 2017“That’s what friends are for”
When is the last time you were grateful for your friends? Doug Larson is quoted as saying “A true friend is one who overlooks your failures and tolerates your success.” There are many benefits of having great friends. Think about the times that you’ve needed encouragement and a friend was there to offer that. Or better yet, how about the times you were headed in the wrong direction and a friend stepped in and made you reevaluate some of your life choices.
There are a lot of benefits from having a true friend. What about being that friend? Consider the actions of a great friend. John 15:12-15 sets a high standard for friendship, starting out with loving like Christ loved (v. 12). “Love one another as I have loved you (NKJV). The word “as” includes both a quantity and quality. The quantity aspect could be stated as “love as much as I have loved you” and the quality aspect as “Love in the same way that I have loved you”.
But then verse 13 happens. It can be surmised that Jesus knows He will ultimately be the One who lays down His life for His friends. (John brings this full circle for us in 1 John 3:16.) And as such, He uses this as the greatest expression of friendship. Do you have any friends you’d lay your life down for? Think about what would happen in your friendship if you did. You’d know the freedom to encourage them throughout all their failures. You would also be willing to intervene when their life choices were faulty. And you’d be there to help them pick up the pieces of broken relationships. Decide today to be a True Friend. When you do, you’ll never regret it.
Pastor Dave
PS- For homework, read 1 Samuel 20. David and Jonathon give us a great example of friendship here and you can see a great friendship in action.
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