what matters to jesus | friendship

Image by Cheryl Holt

Romans 12:10, NIV
Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves.

I hope you enjoyed the Lent devotions. It was great to write them. Now the blog is back and we're looking at the last of the values I think matter to Jesus so should matter to us. This month - friendship.

The various Covid lockdowns in the UK gave me an opportunity to spend time in the garden and I cleared and replanted an overgrown area. Then, I placed a bench under an old apple tree, put up some bunting, and imagined the day my friends and I would talk and eat there.

All this time later, we still have catching up and cake eating to do. And as we do it, we should think about Jesus’ divinely inspired model of friendship. Jesus asks the Father for guidance on who his closest friends should be and, as a result, his friendships are genuine, deep, diverse, and purposeful. He is also inclusive. Remember the rich young ruler? Jesus invites him into his close circle; a circle already established but that can embrace new people.

We don’t have time today to look at John, Peter, James, Susanna, Joanna, the Marys, Lazarus, Martha and others... But, all of Jesus’ friendships are integral to the purposes of God. I’m taking time now to ask God who my friends should be, how I can open my circle to others, and how I can make my relationships serve his purposes. 

There is always a crowd; always onlookers. People who watch our lives. We may not know it but who we are can speak louder than what we say. Our values have a voice even when we’re silent.

And we can use them to point others to Jesus.The crowd watching us sees that our friendships with each other are inclusive and purposeful because we are friends of God. And that points to Jesus.

Until next time.

L x