What does friendship mean to you?
How you answer that question may depend on your age and season of life. When I was younger my friendships included the people I spent most of my time with everyday. I called lots of people “friend”. Today we have “friends” on Facebook that we’ve never met or spent anytime with in real life.
I wonder if what we mean by “friend” has been affected by social media?
Maybe.
But I believe if you and I were face to face right now and I asked you to name your friends, your list (like mine) would be short. Really short. Because we’ve learned through experience what it means to be a friend.
A friend is:
- someone who wants what’s best for you
- someone who cares about how you’re feeling and what you’re going through
- someone who is trustworthy, loyal, and honest
- someone who thinks about you and wants to spend time with you
- someone who knows your faults but loves you anyway
- someone who wants to communicate with you; some listening and some talking
- someone who eagerly shares what they know when it will benefit you
What do you think about that list?
I think it’s a good start. We all want to have at least one person in our lives who meets those qualifications (preferably a few).
God certainly meets the standard—He IS the standard. We know that He is our friend.
So what kind of friend are you? Does anyone have you on their list?
Would you be surprised if I told you that Jesus calls you “friend”?
He does.
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:15
As a followers of Christ Jesus calls us “friends”. We have a relationship that is special and one in which He has chosen to share with us all that He has learned from His Father.
Knowing that should encourage us to exercise our faith. We’re walking on water with Jesus and He sees us as His friend. That means that He cares about us and wants to help us.
Even the best of friends will disappoint us in this life and we don’t always live up to our own expectations of what it means to be a friend. But hear me right now. Jesus calls you friend!
Thank you, Jesus, for being a friend of sinners and saving me. Thank you for calling me friend. Thank you for sharing with me everything you have learned from your Father. Thank you for all that you’re doing in me, to me, and through me for my good and your glory.
Click here for all Walk on Water Faith posts.