What Kind of Friends Do You Have?

 

How many friends do you have? Not the hundreds or even thousands you may have on social media, but real friends you could call on for help if you’re in a jam?

July 30 is International Friend Day. So in light of International Friend Day, I offer these 3 devotional excerpts from Daily Reflections on the Names of God.

 

Who Calls You “Friend”?

The LORD used to speak to Moses face to face . . . as a man speaks to his friend. (Exodus 33:11)

Who names you as their friend? Are they the same people you consider friends?

Today, we refer to almost everyone as a friend, although many qualify more as acquaintances. We should not take friendship lightly, especially friendship with God.

Moses had such an intimate relationship with God that the Lord spoke to him face-to-face. God named Abraham His “friend” (Isa. 41:8), as well. What made these men friends of God? Was it their good works, their holiness, or their position in the community?

Moses was not holy. He was a killer whose short temper prevented him from entering the Promised Land. Abraham lied about his wife, Sarah. Yet God considered them friends, not because of what they did, but because they took Him at His word, acting in obedience and faith.

God chooses His friends, not for what they can do for Him, but for what He can do through them. When we enter into a relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ, He receives the glory and honor, and we receive the blessing of friendship.

 

Not That Kind of Friend

(Matthew 26:50)

Calling some people “friends” does not guarantee their friendship or that they will always behave as friends should behave.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus watched three types of friends behave in decidedly unfriendly ways. Judas betrayed Him with a kiss. Peter flouted Jesus’s teachings by attacking His enemies. All the disciples abandoned Him to His foes.

Friendship presumes both parties will act in mutual interest and support. We know our friendship with God begins with His choosing us. We also know God always acts for our benefit. Still, what does God expect from us in return? Jesus gave us the answer when He said, “You are My friends if you do what I command you” (John 15:14). God expects His friends to believe Him and obey His commands.

Living by faith and in obedience—that’s how God’s friends behave.

 

Right Friends

(1 Corinthians 15:33)

Should we continue socializing with unbelievers after we become Christians, or should we replace those friends with Christians?

Unlike neighbors or acquaintances, true friends know us intimately. They tell us the truth when no one else has the courage to do so. True friends want what is best for us, regardless of whether it is best for them. They share our goals and values and encourage us in our spiritual growth.

Jesus said we are to live for Him and be a witness in a world that does not know Him. At the same time, we are to remain separate. We are to influence without being influenced, pointing people to Christ without compromising ourselves with an unrighteous world. James wrote, “Whoever wants to be a friend of this world is an enemy of God” (James 4:4 GW).

God calls us to be salt and light in our relationships with unbelievers. Our most intimate friends, though, should be those who will encourage us to grow in the light and love of the Lord our God, the One who names us friend.

 

Questions for reflection:

• Have I based my friendship with God on what I can do for Him or what He can do through me?
• If faith and obedience are tests of friendship with God, would Jesus say I pass the tests? If not, what must change for my life to reflect my friendship with God?
• In what relationships have I compromised my spiritual life for the sake of a friendship?