True Friendship

Comments to 3rd Quarter 2004 Sabbath School Lesson #5

I know I fall short of the mark. In fact, we all do. Not one of us can say: we are truly a friend at all times. Consider the Biblical description of a friend. He is to be friendly, a sower of harmony and unity, a coverer of transgressions. He is to love at all times, be pure of heart, faithful, wise in counsel, and bear other’s burdens (Prov. 18:24; Prov. 16:28; Prov. 17:9,17; Prov. 22:11; Prov. 27:6, 9;
Gal. 6:2). You may say, “I have a couple of these requirements nailed down.” But, God requires them all. Yes, a true Christian will exhibit all these traits of a friend, as David and Jonathan did. These two men loved each other so deeply, that the Bible says of David, “he loved him as he loved his own soul (1 Sam. 20:17)." After Jonathan’s death, David said, “I am distressed for thee, my
brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women (2 Samuel 1:26)." Could any of us love another human being like this? It is only possible when Christ is actively in our hearts and lives.

Christ wants to call me friend. In John 15:12-15 it says:

John 15:12 - This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you.
John 15:13 - Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:14 - Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
John 15:15 - Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Even when we were His enemies Christ gave us this gift of Himself (Romans 5:8). The knowledge that Christ loved us and gave His life for us, even as we hated Him and were plotting His murder, makes the concept of "great love" (as quoted in John 15:13 above) very special. How could Christ do this? He
embodied the Father’s agape love, and so can we, for provision has been made. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, if we allow Him, our thoughts, feelings and motives are transformed to be like Christ's. Then it is simple to love as He loves, for He makes it possible (& all things are possible to Him who believes
- Mark 9:23).

When we try by ourselves to love as He commanded, we will fail miserably. After all, loving others when you are selfish is terribly difficult, if not impossible--after all self comes first. This is why our society insists on offering a cheap alternative, a counterfeit to God's command. Instead of loving others, our society propagates the concept of "liking and tolerating others." But, the Bible never said we are to like or tolerate anyone. No, friends, the Bible says that we must love others as God loves us. We are to love others even when we dislike their ways. Only God can make this possible. What does this mean? Just this, that if we ask Him, and believe, He will give us the power to withstand our society's counterfeit, and the power to love.

David and Jonathan were friends by providence. God brought them together to comfort each other through the murderous reign of King Saul, and to save the linage of Christ. Although Jonathan's friendship with David was against his father’s will, Jonathan never dishonored his father. He knew that David would take away what was his by birthright, but was not angry because he knew it was God’s will. How many of us would choose to forge a deep and loving friendship with someone we knew would usurp our role, or take away our birthright? In Christ, all things are possible.

How many of us are truly thankful to God for the friends and loved ones we have? How easy it is to think our friendships exist because we have fun with the other person/s, or that we share so much in common. How easy to miss that it is God who gives us the friends, and the unconditional love with which to love them. Yes, by ourselves we all miss the mark of true friendship. But, in Him all things are possible. Will you let Christ fill you with His love, and allow Him to love others through you? He's waiting.

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