A FRIEND IS...
DAY 79: Making friends is a labor intensive activity. It requires more than just being friendly. That's the easy part - well, at least for most people. Being an actual friend is hard work - and kind of risky. To be a friend means giving time, something many of us find in short supply. It means being transparent and letting another person know the real you - the good, the bad and the ugly. And it means developing enough trust to let the other person help you move in the right direction -while you do the same for them.
Acquaintances, which I am a big fan of, are content to just let each other be, settling for chit chat about kids, and weather, and politics. Acquaintances don't challenge one another to be more, be better, be uncomfortable. They don't care if you are secretly crabby to your spouse or impatient with your kids. The don't want to know if you struggle with temptation or are afraid to do that big thing you dream about. Acquaintances are safe. I really really excel at acquaintances.
Today as I spent time in God's Word, I was reminded that Jesus excels at friendship.
In Luke 4 & 5, while Jesus is in the first months of traveling outside of His hometown to share the truths about the kingdom of heaven with ever increasing crowds , he certainly made plenty of acquaintances. There were hundreds of people who came to hear him teach and see him heal, who came and went. If they listened they were still offered truth that confronted their sin and had the potential to change their lives. The reality was, though, that having limited himself to the form of man, he was also limited in how many people he could become fully involved with. Those he chose, though, would never again find the kind of friend Jesus was to them. Luke shows us first how he befriended Simon, a.k.a. Peter. He tells that one day after leaving a synagogue Jesus went to Peter's home. He says it in such a way as to imply they know one another. Probably this occurred after the incident in John 1 when Andrew drags Peter over to meet this amazing Jesus that had so enthralled him. Peter and Andrew, among others, left as disciples of John and started following Jesus. They spent time together, maybe over days or weeks before this day that Luke describes. They were getting to know one another beyond acquaintances.
As Jesus enters Peter's house He finds that Peter's mother-in-law in very sick with a high fever. Acquaintances would politely excuse themselves from the intrusion and leave. Jesus, a friend, steps in to help.
Luke 4:39 So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.
He was willing to be involved in Peter's life. But His involvement didn't stop there. He also had some career advice for his friend. After a bad night of fishing Jesus stepped in with this tip:
Luke 5:4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
Simon Peter trusted his Friend and did as he suggested - and hauled in the biggest catch of his life! "He was awestruck by the size of the catch..." As a friend, most of us would be content to dust off our hands and declare, "My work here is done!" It feels great to help a friend. But Jesus takes that next risky step - He also challenges his friend to desire more out of life.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
There are many lessons that could be written about this scene from Jesus' life and ministry; but as I read through the scriptures on this ONE YEAR JOURNEY WITH GOD, I am not looking to write a commentary. I am asking God to bring alive His word in my life. And today He impressed two things on my heart He knows I need to hear.
1. Jesus is a friend in my life like no other. He will never be content to chit-chat our time away. As a friend he will at times just walk the roads with me. At times He will meet me in my distress. At times He will enable me to do more with His help than I ever could alone. AND as my friend, my true friend, He will use all those experiences not as an end, by as a means to a higher end: to equip me, invite me, and inspire me to leave everything and follow Him. So today I am asking myself, "Where am I staying in the boat enjoying the bounty and not going on with Him?"
2. God also impressed on me the value of friendship with others. He is spurring me on to offer His kind of friendship to those in my circle. And to look for that kind of friendship among the jewels in my acquaintances. He reminded me that it's worth the effort and the risk.
Few things are forever... but a friend who will get out of the boat with me and spur me on as we follow after Jesus is one of them. I am very thankful for my small band of forever friends - and I will begin to look for a few more!
Day 79 of 365
Numbers 32
Numbers 33:1-39
Luke 4:31-44
Luke 5:1-11
Psalm 64:1-10
Proverbs 11:22
Today as I spent time in God's Word, I was reminded that Jesus excels at friendship.
In Luke 4 & 5, while Jesus is in the first months of traveling outside of His hometown to share the truths about the kingdom of heaven with ever increasing crowds , he certainly made plenty of acquaintances. There were hundreds of people who came to hear him teach and see him heal, who came and went. If they listened they were still offered truth that confronted their sin and had the potential to change their lives. The reality was, though, that having limited himself to the form of man, he was also limited in how many people he could become fully involved with. Those he chose, though, would never again find the kind of friend Jesus was to them. Luke shows us first how he befriended Simon, a.k.a. Peter. He tells that one day after leaving a synagogue Jesus went to Peter's home. He says it in such a way as to imply they know one another. Probably this occurred after the incident in John 1 when Andrew drags Peter over to meet this amazing Jesus that had so enthralled him. Peter and Andrew, among others, left as disciples of John and started following Jesus. They spent time together, maybe over days or weeks before this day that Luke describes. They were getting to know one another beyond acquaintances.
As Jesus enters Peter's house He finds that Peter's mother-in-law in very sick with a high fever. Acquaintances would politely excuse themselves from the intrusion and leave. Jesus, a friend, steps in to help.
Luke 4:39 So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.
He was willing to be involved in Peter's life. But His involvement didn't stop there. He also had some career advice for his friend. After a bad night of fishing Jesus stepped in with this tip:
Luke 5:4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
Simon Peter trusted his Friend and did as he suggested - and hauled in the biggest catch of his life! "He was awestruck by the size of the catch..." As a friend, most of us would be content to dust off our hands and declare, "My work here is done!" It feels great to help a friend. But Jesus takes that next risky step - He also challenges his friend to desire more out of life.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
There are many lessons that could be written about this scene from Jesus' life and ministry; but as I read through the scriptures on this ONE YEAR JOURNEY WITH GOD, I am not looking to write a commentary. I am asking God to bring alive His word in my life. And today He impressed two things on my heart He knows I need to hear.
1. Jesus is a friend in my life like no other. He will never be content to chit-chat our time away. As a friend he will at times just walk the roads with me. At times He will meet me in my distress. At times He will enable me to do more with His help than I ever could alone. AND as my friend, my true friend, He will use all those experiences not as an end, by as a means to a higher end: to equip me, invite me, and inspire me to leave everything and follow Him. So today I am asking myself, "Where am I staying in the boat enjoying the bounty and not going on with Him?"2. God also impressed on me the value of friendship with others. He is spurring me on to offer His kind of friendship to those in my circle. And to look for that kind of friendship among the jewels in my acquaintances. He reminded me that it's worth the effort and the risk.
Few things are forever... but a friend who will get out of the boat with me and spur me on as we follow after Jesus is one of them. I am very thankful for my small band of forever friends - and I will begin to look for a few more!
Day 79 of 365
Numbers 32
Numbers 33:1-39
Luke 4:31-44
Luke 5:1-11
Psalm 64:1-10
Proverbs 11:22
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