Would you like a friend like this? by David Nelson

Posted: 2007-03-31 11:47:20

3-31-07

Everyone would like a friend like the one I am going to describe.  When you are married, your spouse may be your best friend. Or you might have more than one friend, each one with different qualities so that you like to be with each of them. I’m going to describe a friend that may seem like an ideal and yet many people still long for this kind of friend. 

First of all let me say that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Father, and the Holy Spirit are this kind of friend though we have not fully realized it yet. Also, that the Lord wants each of us to become in character the kind of friend that we long for in the human sense. We should become what we are looking for in a friend. The Lord will be this kind of friend to us and he will allow us to have friends that will fulfill our deepest longings.

The best kind of friend will say things with their mouth and then you will see them do exactly what they said with their mouth. They don’t just talk big things but they do what they say. A good friend talks to you and keeps in contact with you even though you haven’t called or contacted them. A loving friend is interested in how you are feeling and what you are thinking and asks you regularly to express “where you are at” or how things are going (and really wants to know and must know). A real friend doesn’t forget about you as time goes by but can pick up exactly where you left off with just as much love and warmth as ever. A true friend does not want to let much time go by between contacts (they don’t forget you with time but feel more anxious with time the need to reconnect). A true Christian friend will not drop you as their friend “like a hot potato” if they hear you say something controversial or do something that seems strange or different. They will give you the benefit of the doubt. They will say, “Maybe they didn’t mean what I think they meant or maybe what I saw is not really that important to drop our friendship.” If you get cold toward people or cut off people who say or do things that are “different” or if you take offense and push away from a person you are not a true friend. If you are picky about who you want as a friend, you do not have the true character of God. Try to be friends with everyone, as much as it depends on you be at peace with all, owe no man anything, except you owe everyone love. If they are looking for a friend, try to be their friend. As much as you can get close to them (as much as they will let you, do so). If they are seeking your friendship and companionship, give it. This is what the Lord is like. If you break off friendships because you don’t have enough time, because they offended you, because they are different, because your not interested in them, and yet the person was seeking you, sincerely wanted to be your friend, then you do not have fully the character and love of God that God is wanting to instill in you.

So, you might not have time to write letters to everyone or be everyone’s friend but are you willing to be friends with everyone that God gives you strength to be-friend? Are you willing to be friends with everyone God prompts you to write, call, or spend time with? That is what God wants, that is what He is like. Remember, what you say is what you are and what you should do. A good friend calls, writes or approaches even when it seems that the other hasn’t called, written or approached. A true friend is always interested how the other is feeling or doing and seeks to know these things. Time doesn’t dampen the friendship, there is always a warmth and a taking up of where we left off. If too much time has gone by we should become more anxious to re-connect. No offense in words or deeds can cause us to drop a friend but we forgive every negative or at least try to get it out in the open and resolve it. Don’t be picky as to who you be-friend if they want to be with you. You owe every person love and that means wanting to know how they are doing and how they feel. Of course, God will lead you in each detail of who you see and the time spent with them. He will give you the strength when you need it and you will know what you need to do in each situation. But the true character of God is true friendship and loving everyone who seeks your love. Pushing yourself away from people because of the excuses of lack of time, they offended me, they are different, I am not interested in them are not what the Lord is like and neither should we be.

So, how will I be from now on? How does the Lord want me to treat people around me? Can I be a sincere friend to everyone? Here is what to do: What they see and hear from you is what you are. You will be their friend for the long haul not just pretending for the moment. You won’t drop them as friends because of flaws or mistakes. You will forgive them over and over and still stay friends. You won’t be nice till they cross you and then drop them “like a hot potato.” You will be their friend always even if you lose contact for a while. You will miss them and try to contact them if too much time goes by (as the Lord gives you strength). You will always have warmth in your heart towards them and sincerely want to know how they are doing (and not get cold towards them, and not pretend to be all chummy when in your heart you don’t intend to work at being friends). You will try to show love and friendship to as many people as God gives you the strength.

The Lord loves each of us in this way. He welcomes us if we want to be friends with Him. He will never let go of us for flaws or offenses and He wants to be in relationship with us for the long haul. He sometimes talks to us and contacts us when we have let our relationship with Him slide for a while. What He says is what He does. When He says He will be our best friend we can count on it forever. When He says He will do things for us, He will. He is very interested in how we feel and how our day was and wants us to tell Him. If we want to know He will tell us how His day was too. As time goes by He always has great warmth in His heart towards us and He will pick up always where we last left off. And He becomes more “anxious” as time goes by to re-connect with us. If you truly want to be friends with Him He will not turn you away. Should we not be like our Lord towards those around us?