We are often guilty of using the word “friend” too loosely; referring to them as the number of contacts we have with our social media link.

Friends have a relationship…they know each other. God created us for relationships. He created us to glorify Him. Sin destroyed our relationship with God, so God sent Jesus to die for the payment of our sin that we could once again be in a relationship with Him forever. Sin destroys our relationships with one another too. Jesus wants to reconcile our relationship with each other by teaching us how to be a friend.

Friends make commitments to God; not just each other. When we commit to God’s commands and learning His way, we are can forgive and disagree while still loving each other.   God’s way draws us closer to one another when things are going bad—rather than putting distance between us. Friends are better listeners than a speaker. They care for and offer help when needed. They are never too busy for us. A friend will not hurry you out of grief but will sit and weep in grief, with you. A friend admires you for being fair, for making right choices and for loving without reason. A friend is your friend when you are rich or poor, and strong or weak.

By now you are probably thinking, “That is the kind of friend I want”— Me too. Rather, I ask you to pray and ask God to help you to BE, that kind of friend.

Lord, thank you for showing us what a friend is today. Thanks for reminding us that you created us for relationships. We long for relationships because You created us that way. Today, O Lord, help us to focus on those in need of a friend. Show us someone around us who needs the kind of friend described above. Let our hearts be open to being friends with the lonely person on the street, the materially poor–as we may learn something from them, the unpopular person who is often overlooked. Open our eyes Lord, put us in relationship with the rest of your creation. We were all created in your image that means we all need relationships. Teach us what it means to be a good friend by following Jesus’ examples. Help us to commit to Your Word and to live a life that is pleasing to You. Turn my contacts into friends. Help me to be a friend not just merely a contact.

We thank You Lord Jesus, for teaching us how to be a friend. We look forward to the new friends that we will meet today. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen

Proverbs 18:24

1 Samuel 18:1-4

Proverbs 17:17

Jeremiah 9:23-24

John 15:13

Romans 12:1-2

John 3:16