Friends

The Internet provides an opportunity to connect with others digitally, becoming "friends" on the web highway. There is something in every one of us that needs the connection of friends. Traversing the journey of life and ministry requires the support of family and friends who care about us. Quite frankly, real friends are hard to come by. We all have many acquaintances, associates, and neighbors who become the network of people with whom we develop relationships and experience life. True friends are in a different category.

Friendship implies a trusting relationship that will stand the test of time and conflict. The expression, "A friend in need is a friend indeed" betrays the true quality of friendship. The one in need is not the friend; rather the individual that remains the true friend to the one in need i the friend indeed.

My question today is not about how many friends you have or are your friends trustworthy? Rather, are you a true friend? If so, who are you a friend to? How have you demonstrated that friendship?

We live in a world where we all ask, if we intend to or not, what is in it for me? What does our friendship do for me? If you violate our friendship, I will no longer be your friend; so the thinking goes. I find myself wanting to be more like Jesus in his friendship with sinners. The Bible refers to him as "a friend of sinners." How do I measure up to His standard of friendship? How do you measure up?

Frankly, I don't have much confidence that I am anywhere close to where I need to be as a friend. To all my friends, please forgive my failure. I need your friendship in this journey of becoming a disciple of Jesus. In the midst of life, perhaps being a friend should become a top priority. I am working on it!