I have many people in my life I call friends. Some are
closer than others. I wish everyone could be my friend, but I realize that it is
not possible. Distance, differences and other factors prevent me from being a
friend to every other person alive. Even
some people who have been my friends in the past are either not close anymore
(both in time and distance) or have we have lost contact, so I cannot consider
them real friends any longer. I suppose, however, that depends on the definition
of ‘friend’. For me, a friend is someone who is there for you both in good times
and in bad. He will encourage you, help you and give you advice when you need
it, but will also challenge you when he thinks you are not doing the right
thing. The dictionary defines ‘friend’
as: “a person attached to another by
feelings of affection or personal regard.”
It is a good feeling to know that there are people in my
life that are attached to me, however loosely, by feelings of affection. It is
that bond of affection that makes us friends. We get along most of the time. We
care for one another. We look out for one another. We weep when others weep. We
rejoice when they rejoice. This bond of affection we have is based on mutual
caring and nourishing.
We hear people talk about having a best friend. That
would be the one person in their life with whom they share everything. They talk
constantly about what is going on in their lives, their feelings about other
people, situations, and events. This best friend is one they can count on to
stand by them in time of crisis, to support them in time of need, or to be the
one with which they share their happiest moments.
Because we are humans with limited life spans and because
we change as we grow older, wiser, and in many cases busier, even our best
friends become pushed aside or more distant. But that doesn’t have to be the
case. There is someone who, if we want to, will be our best friend through life,
no matter where we are, no matter how big the changes are, and even if we are
set aside by illness, frailty or old age. He wants to be there for us through
trouble and in triumph. He would love to be invited to every birthday party,
anniversary and special event in your life. You can also be sure that if you
make him your best friend He will never leave you or forget to call on those
days when you are lonely, depressed and upset. He is
Jesus.
Proverbs tells us there is a friend that is closer than a
brother. Brothers are not always close to us. Brothers have a biological
connection, but not always an affectionate one. Jesus has both. He is our older
‘brother’ in that he is the Son of God and we can be children of God also by
faith. We can become his adopted siblings. He is attached to us emotionally
through his divine love for us that we neither deserve nor always appreciate.
Yet he wants to stand with us and be our helper, friend, and
advisor.
In order to do that, like the ones we connect with in
social media sites, He needs to be invited. You must first reach out to Him and
ask Him to be your friend. I must warn you, though, that if Jesus becomes your
friend, He will challenge you to make changes in your life. As your friend he
will not tolerate bad behavior, bad language or bad habits. He won’t force you
to change them, but will make it clear that as your friend, He doesn’t like to
see you involved in any such activity. At the same time, he will advise you on
matters that will make you happy, content and at peace with yourself and others.
If that is the kind of friend you are looking for, then invite him to accept you
as his friend. Be sure of this: He will gladly accept your invitation and will
never ‘unfriend’ you.
