He was sitting in the front row, unassuming and like all boys of his age, excited to be with his friend. The topic of the day was "Friendship" and question set out to the little ones was " Why is he or she your best friend?". The question reached him and it seemed everybody had said the right things, he helps me, she is kind to me,he shares with me etc. The boy looked into the eyes of his friend and said "He knows my name".
Simple answer but profound and deep. Over a thousand friends on our Facebook page, another 100 to 500 followers on Twitter and Instagram, who really knows my name. The real meaning of who I am , my battles and victories , my past and present , the friend who will stand with me during thick and thin, who lets me be who I am ,yet shows me the light.
It is hard to be a friend and easy to remain an acquaintance , the ropes of friendship are learnt through the depth of life experiences and someday an acquaintance will become a friend. The Bible has many stories on friendship and the three things that I have noticed that build a true friendship -:
1. Common Faith - The ability to believe in a common goal, to have faith in the same thing and person, to understand the changing colours of this faith when it is hit by the doldrums of life and then stay on course together.
2.Courage - The strength to stand up together for this faith and for each other. When others make fun of you and disgrace you because of what you believe and do, your friend stands up for you . This courage comes only out of selfless love for the other.
3. Admiration - A genuine admiration for the gifts and talents God has given your friend, the ability to encourage , lead and teach him to use his gifts for the glory of God.
Someone said, "Show me your friends and I will show you your future". The friends we make in this world should remain our friends in eternity and that's why God leads us to other people to develop that friendship that has a common faith, the courage to stand for each other and an admiration that helps the other person grow. A husband and wife should start and remain as friends forever , a father and son , a mother and daughter, and so should our relationship with God be too.
Jesus is your best friend, if He still an acquaintance , change that today, make Him your friend , for He is the one who will stand by you and protect you with His power and righteousness. Remember , He knows your name.
Ref: Isaiah 55:10