Proverbs 18:24 NKJV – A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
When I read this scripture, I think about Jesus because He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. He is always reliable, always available, always present. Can we say the same about our earthly friends?
Throughout our life we meet a lot of people. I used to think that I had a lot of friends because of the amount of people I met. I am the type of person that if I say I am your friend then I am a friend for life, no matter what. I thought everyone I met was my friend too. But over time, I learned that I have a lot of “acquaintances” and not a lot of “friends”.
Friend: “a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection”. Mutual affection means that you and your friend have the same love and respect for one another. Friendship is not one sided. Does not mean you have to have the same interests and opinions to be united. But how you treat each other says a lot about your friendship.
Acquaintance: “a person one knows slightly, but who is not a close friend”. You might know who a person is, and they might know who you are, but is that a friend? Yes, you can be friendly to people you do not know, but if you are not willing to get to know the person or build a relationship then can you honestly say that you are a friend or that they are a friend? I know a lot of people, but I do not know a lot about them. People may know who I am but that does not mean that they know me.
With relationships we search for something that is real and authentic, a meaningful relationship. I do not like it when people are fake, I like it when people can be real with me. Jesus is a true friend. Jesus is not a fair-weather friend who only hangs out with you when there is no one else to hang out with. He is always available; He is always with us. He does not use us as a “convenience” when He wants something like some people might. He does not treat us based on how we treat Him. He does not love us based on how we love Him. Jesus wants to have a real and authentic relationship with us. He wants us to be real with Him, you cannot be fake with God, He knows you better than you know yourself.
Jesus is not someone who is a friend to you one day and then forgets all about you when He finds a new friend. I have had that happen in my life many times. People who act like I am important or special to them, and they try to make me feel like I am their best friend. But then someone else comes along in their life and then I get pushed to the side. The person you thought you were close to ends up one day acting as if you no longer exist. Again, we search for relationships that are real and authentic and Jesus is always a real and authentic friend.
Jesus’ love for you is not based on your status or popularity. I have learned some people will only like you long enough until someone else comes along who might seem better, cooler, or more interesting to them. Some people only want to be your friend because of what you can do for them, and then they forget about you when they no longer need you, well they forget about you till they need you again. It is hard sometimes to find a faithful friend, isn’t it? Not everyone you love will love your back, not everyone you encourage will encourage you back, not everyone you help will help you back. But we need to understand to be OK with that when it happens. Our motivation to love, encourage and help people should never be with the conditions of what we get back. Our motivation to win friends should not be based on what we get in return either. Reality is you can be a true friend to people, but does not mean people have to be a true friend to you. Yes, it gets discouraging and can be exhausting, but we are to love people as Jesus does and see people how God sees them. No matter how many times people may come and go in our life, we still need to show people the love of Jesus.
John 15:9-17 NKJV – Love and Joy Perfected – 9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another.
To abide means to stay and remain in the love of Jesus. If we genuinely love Jesus and we honestly believe that we are a Christian, then why would we not love people as Jesus loves people? People may fail you, but Jesus never fails us. People may hurt you, but Jesus gives us joy, abundant joy.
Jesus pours out His love on all people, He died on the cross for everyone. But not everyone loves Him back. That does not stop Jesus from loving people anyway. Jesus wants to be everyone’s friend, a friend who sticks closer than a brother. But we need to abide in His love and love others as He commanded us to. Love Jesus and love one another.
Years ago, God gave my wife Kim an illustration that describes how much He never gives up on people. The illustration God gave to Kim is about how we are with our favorite sports team when we watch them play a game. Our team could be losing, there is a minute left in the game, time is almost up, does not look like much hope for the team, but yet we are still shouting and cheering our team on to win. You still anticipate that somehow someway your team is going to pull through and win the game. Just as we do not lose hope in our team to win, God does not give up on us either. Imagine Him cheering us on, wanting us to win, wanting us to make it across that finish line. And even though He knows who will and who will not make it, but it is still His desire that all will be saved! That is a devoted friend, a faithful friend, someone who is real with you! That is the authentic love of our Father! Even when our favorite team loses a game, we still cheer them on for the next game not knowing if they will win or not. We do not give up on our favorite team. No matter how many times you may think you have failed God, He still wants you to win, and He does not give up on you or lose hope in you either. Do not give up on God. Do not lose hope in Him. He is your friend, a true friend, your best friend, a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Give your life to God. He loves you, really loves you. More than anyone ever could!
