Today I was reminded of the value of Friends. Life Friends. Real Friends.
Someone you can share your mind with. Without judgement. Who accepts you as you are.
A person with a kindred spirit. Someone you may not see nor connect with for months or years. Perhaps even for over a decade. Then you meet again and pick up where you last left off.
Someone who came into your life at a special time. Who made a special connection which does not need continual affirmations to confirm you are a true friend.
If you do not have one or more people in your life who fits this description, whether you recognize it or not, you long for such a relationship. God made us for relationships, first with Him then with one another.
The ultimate Friend in life is Jesus, who is always present whether we recognize it or not.
But there are times, we long for Jesus with flesh on. Someone to sit and talk with, a person to touch and feel.
This topic is special to me today because I had lunch with my friend Larry Sharpe. We met about 45 years ago. Both highly interested in understanding God’s Word, the sacred Scriptures, the best we could.
Our families spent time together. We talked about challenging doctrine topics in the Christian faith. Larry began preaching and continued until he was no longer physically able to preach. I would preach when I had opportunity, though I never pursued preaching as a career.
Due to each of our strong personal convictions there were many years of separation between us. Years where we respected each other’s convictions enough not to press in on our differences and agreed to allow time to pass.
During this season, our friendship and respect for each other never faltered. If anything, it helped each of us independently continue to develop our convictions.
The occasional phone call was always refreshing, because we always simply picked up where we left off.
I believe what makes my relationship with Larry so special is we know each other’s heart. We have total confidence, both of us are fully pursuing God.
In recent conversations we acknowledge each of us will stand independently before God to give an answer for how we lived on earth as we prepare for eternity.
We both are concerned about the unity of faith while respecting the truth in Scripture.
We share an appreciation that neither of us should play the part of God in the lives of others. So, we will leave judgement to God, while we will do our best to discern God’s truth and share God’s truth with others every chance we get.
Thankfully God has blessed me with several good friends. People I do not need to impress to stay in their good graces.
It amazes me how God uses relationships to shape and mold us. Some relationships are brief divine appointments which last a matter of minutes, perhaps an hour, though a single point of time. God using another person to say or do something of significance which alters the trajectory of our life.
I am increasingly looking for divine appointments where God wants me to speak into another person’s life or listen for them to speak into my life. To be a special friend to one another for however long God directs.
I encourage you to look for special opportunities to be a Friend to another, and to allow others to be a special friend to you.
