No Longer Naive

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” (Proverbs 17:17 NASB)

Our praying community recently engaged in a discussion that went beyond understanding diversity and began to unwrap what it means to be a friend, as well as a sister or brother in Christ. It reminded me of my high school years in the late ‘70s in Florence, Mississippi, where I played football with a great and very diverse group of young men. One of my football friends, a young black man named Stanley Spells, caught me one time and said, “Mark, you just don’t understand. You don’t know what it is like.” You see, I had no problem with racism in Mississippi, because I was naive and lacked understanding. I claimed to be a friend and yet did not understand Stanley’s walk down a dirt road to a difficult home. I certainly had no claim to being even a football brother, because I did not walk side-by-side into difficulty with Stanley, Booker or any of my other football friends of color. Being naive stopped being acceptable — at least not for one who claimed to follow Jesus and be His friend. (John 15:14)

King David had friends; however, when trials came, he found them to be aloof and no friends at all. (Psalm 38:11) As ones who would be friends of God, we have an obligation (a command really) to one another to take a step closer to each other, understand each other enough to love as a friend, and be bold enough to stand with a brother or sister in adversity.

And how about those of us who find ourselves betrayed by a friend? Well, if we are fortunate, we will find a little bit of the character of Job in us. Job was obedient to God and prayed for his friends that they would be saved from God’s wrath and restored. The One who is responsible for justice stayed His hand because of the prayers of a wounded friend. Oh, and by the way, Job got a pretty nice blessing in the end. (Job 42:10)

Let us become worthy friends and seek out those brothers and sisters we so need! Our lives will be so much richer and full of blessing as a result. 

Mark Petersen

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Time with a Friend

"The Lord is a friend to those who fear Him. He teaches them His covenant." (Psalm 25:14 NLT)

"For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of His Son while we were still His enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of His Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God." (Romans 5:10-11 NLT)

"There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves because a master does not confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn't choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask, using my name. This is my command: Love each other." (John 15:13-17 NLT)

We read about many of the patriarchs who experienced friendships with God. Adam and Eve were in the garden where God walked. Enoch walked with God. Job stated, "God's friendship was felt in my home." (Job 29:4) "Abraham believed God and God counted him as righteous ... He was even called a friend of God." (James 2:23) Moses was one He trusted and spoke "to him face to face, clearly and not in riddles!" (Numbers 12:8) Jesus befriended Mary, Martha and Lazarus. He called His disciples friends. Jesus had closer friendships with Peter, James and John. He extended friendship to Zacchaeus the tax collector when He went to his house. Jesus made special appearances after His resurrection to his friends, Mary Magdalene and Thomas.

Because of Jesus' death on the cross, we can be a friend of God. What an overwhelming privilege to be chosen and called a friend of God. We have a friend who is willing to lay down His life and "sticks closer than a brother." Like all friendships, our friendship with God requires our time. There are limitless advantages and promises that can be accessed through this relationship, but we need to spend time with Him praying, reading His Word and listening to His voice to receive them. He also wants us to love and spend time fellowshipping with His other friends and fellow believers.

God is ready to give us whatever we ask for in Jesus' name. He wants to give us a rich and satisfying life following His perfect plan. God wants to lavish us with an abundance of delights, grace, power and supply of all we need. We already possess "a priceless inheritance - an inheritance that is kept in Heaven" for us as God's friend.

So let us open our hearts and prioritize our time in order to spend time with a friend who has such extravagant love for us.

Our God Hears!

-Nonna Neal

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