Faithfulness (3) Faithful Friends

Wednesday September 11, 2013

Who do you consider to be a faithful friend? Is it someone you like to hang out with? Is it someone to whom you are attached in an affectionate or personal way? Maybe it is someone who has stood with you in the ups and downs of life, who knows your frailties, and still loves you. There are many reasons why we may consider someone a faithful friend and why that person may consider us a faithful friend.

How do you treat your friends? What type of report would your friends give of you if someone asked them what you were really like? We are instructed in the Bible to love our neighbours as ourselves and that includes our friends. Do you treat your friends in a loving and gracious way? Are you always kind when you interact with your friends?

Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Romans 13:8-9 NLT)

Do you normally greet your friends with encouraging words when you see them or do you complain and grumble about life? Sometimes, when we meet with our friends we may share gossip about mutual friends. Other times, we may share something with them which was told to us in confidence and meant only for us to know. Sharing with friends in this way is showing a lack of integrity on our part. This lack of integrity may subsequently cause the breakdown of friendships as we will be known as one who cannot be trusted with things close to the heart of another. Jesus tells us we will be accountable for every idle word.

A good person produces good deeds and words season after season. An evil person is a blight on the orchard. Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation.” (Matthew 12:35-37 MSG)

Jesus was a friend to others and He had friends too. He loved and served His friends and His friends loved and served Him too. He loved those around Him even though He knew the offences they would commit against Him. He prayed for His friends while He was here on earth and now He lives at the right hand of His Father to intercede for us who are also His friends, because we obey His commands. The song “What a friend we have in Jesus” has the words “O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer”.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV)