I’ll Be a Friend to You
Philippians 4:10-23
Verse 14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles.
Paul has mentioned before and mentions again the importance of surrounding ourselves with close friends who can comfort and guide us.
The blessing of true friends is something everyone should have the joy of knowing. They are the kind of friends who stick with you through thick and thin, even when they don’t live close by. They are the people we know will always be in our corner even when we are in the biggest trial of our lives. They are the first people we want to tell about something wonderful that has happened to us and those we connect with when we have just received the most heart-crushing news.
Having a friend like that is a blessing but shouldn’t it be just as much of a blessing to be that kind of friend? We need to be just as willing to receive those calls from our friends as we are to make them. While it may be easy to celebrate the promotions, births and other such events with our friends, we need to take the same care in grieving with them in the deaths, loss of jobs, life-changing diagnoses and other such heart-wrenching moments. This is the joy of being a true friend.
There are some people who struggle with accepting such friendship and we need to be careful not to fall into that thinking. God made us to be a community and so it is important that we are open to being vulnerable with those in our life who care for us. We need to be open to their words of comfort and encouragement and allow them to rejoice with us in the triumphs of life.
Just as Paul was away from his friends in Philippi, sometimes we don’t live close to our dear friends. It could be easy to feel helpless as we can’t be there to help physically and yet there are ways we can support them and rejoice with them. It may be in the way of a phone call to check on them, a video chat to enjoy each other’s company over a cup of coffee or tea, or maybe just a greeting card or letter that fits the occasion. The key is to make the effort to be the person your friend needs at that particular moment. This trait shown among church members will be a beacon of light that will draw the world to Christ like a moth to a flame.
Making It Personal
Who is this kind of friend in your life? Who have you been this kind of friend to? Who do you know that needs this kind of friend today?
Making It Personal Kids
Who is this kind of friend in your life? Who have you been this kind of friend to? Who do you know that needs this kind of friend today?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for blessing us with true friends. Help us to see and know when a friend needs us and help us be open to accepting this type of friendship in our time of need. In Jesus’ name, amen.