Friend, Best Friends (Part 2)

When one friend fails another, it can be a painful thing for both people. This is where many friendships come to an end. Peter and his relationship with Jesus show us this does not have to be the case. Our imperfections do not have to spell the end of our relationship with the greatest Friend of all. Our friendship with Him can continue and it can grow stronger. In spite of our imperfections, Christ invites us to become His friends.

Fear can be a hindrance to friendship. Fear can show up in a reluctance to join in social gatherings and situations -  places that often play a role in developing friendships. Fear can also express itself to become close friends with anyone because the person may disappoint or betray. The test of friendship may come in the form of a situation that calls for a person to overcome his or her fears and trust the person he or she calls "friend."

You may know the scripture where Peter had this kind of experience in his relationship with Jesus. After the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus sent His disciples to the other side of the Sea of Galilee while He sent the crowd to their homes. Then Jesus spent some time in prayer. His disciples found themselves far out on the lake in a fierce storm (Matthew 14:13-24). What happen? This led to another miracle, as Jesus walked on the water to His disciples. The Bible places the time of this as "the fourth watch of the night" (verse 25), somewhere between three and six o'clock in the morning. The disciples cried out in fear, and Jesus calmed their fear by telling them not to be afraid...it was Him.

Storms of hardship often pound against us. Like the disciples, we may become fearful during these times of difficulty between friend relationships, but we do not need to let life's storms make us doubt Jesus' friendship. We know that no friendship is perfect. Earthly friends sometimes fail, but good friends do not discard one another because of imperfections. Neither does Jesus. He is the Example of the Friend described in Proverbs 17:17, "A friend loves at all times." He is one whose love is loyal and constant, and who does not leave us when things become unpleasant. Jesus is our Friend. Our friendship with Him should develop into a deep trust, no matter what we may face. His friendship assures us that He is more than a fair-weather friend. When hard times come, He will be with us through it all!

Friends, Best Friends - Part 1

Friends of Jesus has been the theme of teaching my Sunday School class the last few weeks. It's been exciting and yet challenging. I find that most people do not analyze or study their friends. We just expect to have friends. We want friends that are friendly. Somebody that we don't have to manipulate to be our friend. We want friends that are reliable; somebody that we can trust. We want friends that have like-interests, and we are delighted to be with. We want friends that are sincere about our friendship.

Aristotle said, "Friendship is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies." Jesus and John the Beloved illustrated well this kind of intimate friendship. Three times John referred to himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 13:23; 21:7, 20). Their close relationship pictures the kind of close friendship Jesus desires to have with everyone who has placed his or her faith in Him. It also shows the kind of friendship we should strive to have with each other. Do you struggle to have friends? If so, keep reading my weekly blog. You will understand more about the importance of choosing right friends.

The best way to show our friendship is to point our friends to the greatest Friend of all - Jesus Christ. We may well gain a friend for eternity.