Real Friendship

By John Gocke

Christian Friends

Luke 5:18-26 (The Message)

18Some men arrived carrying a paraplegic on a stretcher. They were looking for a way to get into the house and set him before Jesus. 19When they couldn't find a way in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof, removed some tiles, and let him down in the middle of everyone, right in front of Jesus. 20Impressed by their bold belief, he said, "Friend, I forgive your sins."

Obviously God thinks it is important that you have meaningful Christian friendships. He hardwired us to want them. Jesus has put many people already in our lives and more are to come in our future that we can grow close to. Most of us think we are too busy to take time to build close friendships but we cheat ourselves of the fullness of life when we put off relationship building.

Ask yourself who could you be better friends with? What kind of a friend are you? Your words and actions play a crucial role in the lives of friends and family. Are you serious about the influence you have?

In the passage from Luke, Jesus saw the faith of the friends who brought the paralytic to him believing that he would be healed. Jesus said that it was their faith that allowed him to be healed. Would people know that you are a Christian by the way you treat your friends? How can you better serve your friends and acquaintances? I have discovered that if you need help from your friends, you should ask for it. Few people know intuitively your needs. Feel free tell your friends how they can help you, I’m sure they want to help as much as be helped. Love your friends like Christ loves you.

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”
-John 15:13

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity”
-Proverbs 17:17