Why Not Now: Repairing My Relationship with Friends - Monday
Luke 6:31
Do to others as you would like them to do to you. (NLT)
If I asked you to name some iconic friendships, what would come to your mind? Maybe you think of Calvin and Hobbes, or Sherlock and Watson, or Joey and Chandler, or Lucy and Ethel, or Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh, or Frodo and Sam. There’s probably a hundred more I could name! What makes these friendships memorable is that they’re more than just funny, cute, or a product of convenience and chance. Each of these friends has a long history of sticking together, really knowing each other, and showing up in the good times and the hard times.
Research in the last couple of years has indicated that Americans have fewer friendships than ever before, with one third of adults reporting that they have two or less “close friends.” But that’s not because we don’t WANT to have close friends. It’s because many of us have forgotten (or never been shown) how to BE close friends!
When God created the first person, Adam realized quickly that he needed a real companion. Something more than a pet, or a hobby, or a job. He needed someone to share life with. When God said “It is not good for man to be alone,” He wasn’t just talking about marriage. That is true for all of us! We need close relationships, real friendships, to help us along through life.
When we look at the life of Jesus, we see that He surrounded himself with close relationships. He had a group of twelve who He chose to be in His circle, and three of that group (Peter, James, and John) who were even closer than the rest. If the Son of God made it a priority to cultivate close friendships…shouldn't we, too? I think so.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote that “The only way to have a friend is to be one.” In the next four days, we’re going to take our cues from Scripture and see just what it takes to BE the kind of friend that we hope others will also be for us.
Monday’s Reflection
Take stock of your current friendships. How many people would you consider your close friends, and why? Who do you wish you had a closer relationship with? Think of them as we go through these devos together.
