Thought For The Day

No Friends

Last Sunday morning during the “Children’s Sermon” the Pastor asked each child who was their best friend. He was obviously headed toward sharing with the kids that we can be friends of God. James (first century Pastor) reminds us that Abraham was called the “friend of God.” (See James 2:23)

A couple of the kids named friends, and one little fellow said he was his own best friend. I really understand that. Sometimes it is difficult to count on others and we end up having to be a friend to ourselves. Another boy said, “I don’t have any friends.” He went on to say he was not yet in school, seemingly indicating that the only place to find friends was not yet available to him.

The Pastor didn’t have time to depart much from the mental script, but I would like to follow up on that boy’s comment. The Church ought to be the best place to find friends. That would mean of course that those who are part of the family of God must have a certain concentration on being a friend to those who seem to be lacking friends.

I have repeated for years the thought of my heart that people are not looking for a “friendly Church,” rather, when they are checking out a new Church family they are looking for friends. If they can’t find them when the family of God gathers, where, pray tell, will they find them?

So the questions for today is simple. Are you a friend to others? Are you a “friendly” person? Are you looking for someone who you can befriend when perhaps no one else has bothered? On Sunday, too often, we find our seat (God forbid someone new is sitting in it) and proceed to do whatever it is we do (sing, pray, speak to those we know, listen to the message, etc.) without noticing that there are often people around us who really need a friend, I mean, really need a friend!

The Old Testament tells us that there is a “friend that sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24).  I don’t think it is mandatory to believe that can only be Christ. I don’t have any (blood) brothers, but some friends who are as close as.

I need that.

One Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *