THE GIFT OF FRIENDSHIP
John 15:15 “I no longer call you servants, because a
servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I
have called you friends, for everything I learned from my
Father I have made known to you.”
A true friend is one of the greatest blessings we might
receive in our brief journey on and through this secular
world. A true friend is one who is always there for you no
matter what is transpiring in your world. He is the one with
whom you can share your deepest thoughts, aspirations,
dreams and fears without the fear of ridicule or judgement,
and he will never divulge them. He is the one who might try
to talk you down from making a wrong turn but withholds
condemnation when you do make that wrong turn. He is
there to help you pick up the pieces after a broken
relationship or a bad career move or a disastrous mistake.
He is the one who sits with you in your darkest hours of
grief, fear and betrayal and celebrates with you the light
and joy of the good things of life. He will never disrespect
or denigrate you by spewing out unsolicited advice, the
junk mail of life. A true friend, many times, knows you
better than you know yourself and always displays
unconditional love. A true friend is a God given gift that
knows no price.
Henri Nouwen captured the essence of friendship when he
wrote, “When we honestly ask ourselves which person in
our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those
who, instead of giving advice, solutions or cures, have
chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with
a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with
us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with
us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate
not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the
reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.”
Jesus promised to send us the Counselor (John 14:26) and
by that act He gave us the gift of a perfect friend…. a friend
that is always with us… a friend that will never betray us….
a friend that will guide and teach us…. a friend that
comforts us in our times of grief…. a friend that helps us
develop the beautiful fruit that embodies the Christian
lifestyle (Gal 5:22) …. a friend that helps us to grow in the
glory of God…. a friend that implores us to reach out to the
“least of these” …. a friend that assists us in being a friend
to others…. a friend that exhorts us to confront evil…. a
friend that urges us to be bold in sharing the Good News.
When Jesus called His disciples friends, He made a
declarative statement that echoes through the ages. That
means that you and I are blessed among all people to
enjoy the constant company and the gentle presence of the
greatest friend that might ever be imagined. The friendship
of the Spirit of God is priceless and beyond comparison.
Think about it! ~ Aron Smith
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