My fifth-grade teacher, Mrs. Staucer, told our class that having friends was essential to having a good life. She also said it wasn’t easy to make and keep good friends.
“If you have this many good friends when you’re my age,” she said, holding up five fingers, “then count yourself especially fortunate.”
How many fingers can you hold up? How many fingers can I hold up?
Just when I think that I can count more than five tall fingers, I read how the Apostle Paul described his relationship with his friends in Thessalonica:
- He always prayed for them.
- He was always thankful for them, even though they weren’t perfect.
- He was always honest with them and had no impure motivations.
- He cared for them as parents care for their own children.
- He delighted in sharing his life with them.
- He encouraged and comforted them.
- He was an example of a Jesus follower to them in every way, openly sharing his own spiritual journey.
- He urged them to live lives worthy of God’s calling.
- He longed to see them and made every effort to do so.
- He saw them as his joy in life.
I’ve never thought about Paul in this way before, but he was an amazing friend!
I’m immediately tempted to think that his kind of friendship requires more time than I have. And that because Paul was a missionary, he had way more time than I to be a really good friend to others.
But Paul had a full-time job (as a tent maker). He probably used his few hours in the evening and on the Sabbath to develop relationships with the Thessalonians.
There goes my time excuse!
So no matter how many “necessities” fill my day, I have come to realize that investing time in others must be as consistent as the time I spend alone with God. If you’re unsure about this, check out what Jesus said when he was asked to state the one greatest commandment. He instead gave two: love God and love others.
Friendship is an outpouring of our faith. We know and show the love of Jesus as we give love to others, as we care for those we want to call friends.
Life isn’t just better together; life is your relationships–your relationships with Jesus and with others.
As you think about being a good friend to others, be inspired by some of these Christian friendship quotes:
Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends leave footprints in your heart. – Eleanor Roosevelt
If I take offence easily; if I am content to continue in cold unfriendliness, though friendship be possible, then I know nothing of Calvary love. – Amy Carmichael
He is your friend who pushes you nearer to God. – Abraham Kuyper
Friends are the siblings God never gave us. – Jean de la Fontaine
If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re very scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find them everywhere. – Zig Ziglar
If you’d like to rate yourself as a spiritual friend, take the quiz:
