Who is your best friend? Who is the person/people that have made a difference in your life for the better? Where would you be without friends? Friends make a difference.
Mark Twain said, “The proper office of a friend is to side with you when you are in the wrong. Nearly anybody will side with you when you are in the right.”
True friends come in all shapes and sizes but they do possess certain qualities. I did a simple text message survey and ask what is the quality of a friend. The number one answer was “trustworthy.” Which was followed by “Honest.” It seems good that these 2 go together.
If not we would have friends like my wife who responded to my question, “What are the qualities of a friend?” with a big smile, “You are always there so I can take advantage of you.” Got to love a wife’s way of keeping one humble.
My thoughts about friendship began when I read something yesterday that I’ve read many times; this time it really got my attention. I find interesting that Jesus said “I no longer call you servant but friends.”* (His work on the cross really did change things.)
Seriously think about this, Jesus had just told his disciples (now his friends), There is no greater love than that a man would die for his friends. Which in all irony is the reason that his disciples were not “always there” for him in the next few days.
My thoughts took me in the direction of “How does Jesus show friendship?” So I started making a list:
- He decided to be my friend first
- He has given the greatest of gifts – his own life
- He doesn’t mind being associated with me and my “baggage”
- He has got my back
- He is always honest with me
- He is trustworthy
- He shares his heart with me
- He has given his all for my benefit and success
- He listens when i share my heart with him
- He should have forced me to be a servant but choose me as a friend
- He will always kneel beside me rather than walk by when I’m down
- He never does anything but what is best for me
- He expected nothing of me when he offered his friendship
- His friendship brings me great joy
Jesus made it so we can have a relationship: A FRIENDSHIP no less. The last thing about this relationship that is amazing is that most of the time He cares more about our friendship than I do – HE is the better friend. True friends make a difference.
These thoughts are humbling to me but they make me smile.
*John 15:11-16
(Just a side note, There is no religion that I know of that can match the relationship I have with my Savior. All others give a master or a set of rules or something I need to accomplish. That seems to me that by definition all other “religions” are cults.)
by Steve Lawrence