Upon hearing the word friendship a definition is not generally the first thing that comes to mind. Instead what flashes before you are the examples of friendship you have in your life. I think there are different levels of friendship. There are the friend who you know their name, met their parents, and maybe even spent the night at their house when you were little- that’s the first level. The second level contains the friends that you hang out with on weekly basis, met the grandparents, love the parents and you greet with a hug.
The final level of friendship is the most important. This level may have many or it may have few. These are the friends who you love their family, you can talk to about everything and everything for hours. These are the friends that when you get together to have a meal it feels like a family gathering. You have the teasing, the laughter, the bickering, the yelling, and all the other dysfunctional things that come with a family. But what makes this level stand out above the rest is a simple four letter word- Love. Now, before you roll your eyes hear me out. I am not just talking about the love we have for each other! I’m referring to the love we have for Jesus Christ. With this love we know how to love. How? The bible teaches us!
1 Corinthians 4:4-7 says this:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.
Although these verses are generally used for a romantic sort of love, I think is can apply it to the love I have for my friends. Ok- that was cheesy! J But its true! These verses, there are others, teach me what loves truly means. Love is not holding a grudge when a friend forgets to call me back! Love is stopping to ask how your friend’s day was before mentioning yours! That is love!
I love my friends! But more than that- I love the God in them. I love the way God uses them to bless not only my life but the lives of those around them. God has blessed me beyond belief in the area of friendships! A verse in Philippians comes to mind
Philippians 1:3-6
3I thank my God every time I remember you. 4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
I truly do thank God everyday for the blessings He has bestowed upon me by placing these Godly friends in my life! I have been blessed beyond belief with friends that I considered to be like my family. I have brothers from another mother AND sisters from another mister. :) Not really! But, we do have the same Heavenly Father! A Father who binded us together with love described in 1 Corinthians 4:4-7! So, what was the point to this blog? I don’t have any idea but I do want to leave you with this challenge? Thank God for the friends He has given you!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
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