I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS

I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS

                   Do you have friends? Surely, we all do. Or, at least we all like to think we have friends. A friend is precious in this life. What a lonely journey it would be if we walked the rugged terrain of this life all alone. We need someone beside us, if for no other reason than to assure us that in the most tragic events of life there is one nearby whose love we can be assured of (Proverbs 17:17 “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity”).

                   The friends that we have, assuming they are true friends, care about our character. It is a friend who will let you know when you fall short in kindness, love, hospitality, honesty and even in holiness and godliness. As friends we work together to become the children of God we are called to be. In our interactions with each other there should be mutual ‘honing’ of our very personality (Proverbs 27:17 “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend”). It is not always pleasant to hear about our shortcomings. But, knowing those criticisms are coming from someone who cares about us does make it a bit more palatable. 

                   So, do we have friends? Most will say, unhesitatingly, “Yes, of course I do.” In fact, just a little while ago I personally looked at my Facebook page and saw that I have 147 friends. I must be really friendly (Proverbs 18:24 “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly….”). I think we know those are not all ‘real’ friends. Many are relatives. Some are recent acquaintances. And some may just be pretending so that they can snoop around a bit. Regardless, the fact is most have only a few real friends.

It is those we call real friends that I want to focus on. What would you do for a friend? What would you not do for a friend? I can hear it now, you would go to the ends of the world, you would move mountains. Why, many of you would dare to say that you would even die for a friend. That is all commendable, it really is admirable. I don’t doubt at all that you mean it from the very depths of your soul. But, is it true? 

If a friend needed your help desperately, would you help even though in offering your help you realize the very moment you do you will lose the friendship you cherish so dearly? What if coming alongside to pull your friend out of critical danger costs you his/her friendship forever? Many Christians like to pick-and-choose the passages of Scripture they will adhere to instead of embracing the entirety of God’s Word. Paul made it very clear who our friends should be in 2Corinthians 6:14-18 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? (v.15) And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? (v.16) And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (v.17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (v.18) and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Yet, with well-crafted excuses and ‘reasons’ many, calling themselves Christian today, have mostly unsaved friends. And to maintain those ‘friendships’ they do all of the things the ungodly do. They go to worldly events, engage in worldly conversations that would “embarrass a sailor” and even go to clubs and bars (but not drinking of course, making it Ok). But even that really is not the issue.

A friend will always warn of danger and will even take the proverbial bullet if need be just to protect his friend. Are we friends if we know one we love is about to suffer beyond imagination and we say nothing? In the fear of losing a friendship today, will you be silent if you have trustworthy information showing your friend is in grave danger.

We are told to evangelize the world. Yet, we remain silent around our “friends” because we want them to continue liking us. Will we actually allow a friend to suffer the agonies of hell for eternity so that we can have 20-40 more years of a pleasant relationship today. Is that kind of selfishness definable as friendship? Think what the day of judgment will be like. As we stand beside the King of Kings justified, redeemed and glorified, what will we say? When the one we dared to call “friend” hears, “depart from me, I never knew you” and he pauses momentarily fixing his horrified gaze upon us, will we dare to say, “But, I didn’t want to harm our friendship”?

I have often wondered if, looking deeply into our eyes, we will hear them say with broken hearts, “I thought we were friends.”