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What a Blessing is a Friend

“Ye are my friends.”

John 15:14 (a)

Well, I am here on the side of the road again. The girls missed the bus and the tire blew as we got off the interstate. Luckily the girls got a ride with a classmate that drove by us. Now it is time for me to get to work on this tire.

I took off the balding tire and inspected the hole in the worn radial. I lugged out the spare. It was flat too.

I leaned against the car and watched motorist scurry like ants up and down the pike.

What to do now?

As I was formulating a plan, my phone buzzed. “You ok?” my friend texted. “The spare is flat too! LOL!” I sent back.

“I am on the way.” She replied.

Just like that, she dropped what she was doing, told her boss she had to help her friend and drove across town. She came to drive me to Walmart to purchase another tire and return to the car to put in on.

Why? Because that is what a friend does.

As I sat in my car waiting for her and watching the morning sun’s creeping fingers stretch over the landscape, I thought about friendship for a moment. I thought of the times precious friends held me when I cried, listened to me as I whined, rebuked me when I was straying, and laughed with me, sometimes when there seemed to be nothing to laugh about and I was impressed with how important friends really are. The blessing of friendships is a wonderful gift from our Father.

While I waited, I got out my Bible and found a friend in the concordance. As I read Chapter 15 of John, I really saw the importance of friendship to Christ, not just with the disciples but with you and me today.

When Jesus came to the understanding of who he was and what his purpose was, he did not rush out into the world to judge, point fingers or condemn. Instead, he shared the love of God, as a friend would share good news with another.

In verse 14 of John 15, it begins with “Ye are my friends.” That statement was not exclusive to those that were present; it was to all of us. Jesus came as a friend into this world, to share the love of his father and to lay down his life so that we could have everlasting life.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

Jesus is not asking us to lay down our lives. He is asking us to be a friend to those that are lost, in need and hurting. Friendship is a choice. We choose who to treat as a friend and who not.

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: John 15:16 (a)

Jesus chose to be my friend. Through that expression of friendship and sacrifice he pierced my heart and drew me close. I believe that he choose me to be a friend to those in my life that are lost and lonely, so that I can introduce them to Jesus.

Do you count Jesus as your friend? Do you share his love and concern with those in your life?

All you have to do is be a friend.