Text: John 15:13- 15
Memory verse:
“A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.”
Proverbs 17:17 NKJV
Unlike family relationships, which you cannot choose by yourself, we all have the freedom to choose our friends. There are various kinds of friendships, and they are based on the motives that established the relationship between the parties. God is the primary factor in true Christian friendship. According to our text, friendship is one of the concepts used to describe what our relationship with the Lord should be.
In the friendship of David and Jonathan, the Lord formed the center. It was motivated and sustained by the “kindness of the Lord” (1 Sam 20:14).
True Christian friendship is not superficial or selfish. The scripture says, “..the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David” (1 Sam 18:1). This should also be the ideal state of true Christian friendship, as Paul charged, “being knit together in love” (Col 2:2). The depth of the friendship of David and Jonathan was seen after the painful death of Jonathan. Having become king, David turned over all the property of Saul to Mephibosheth. David declared, “.. for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake…” (II Sam 9:7).
Unlike selfish love, which only lasts at sight and momentarily, this kind of love does not depend on other things aside from God, and it is lasting. It seeks to fulfill God’s purpose in both parties. Selfish friendship is seen in the relationship between Amnon and Tamar. Amnon claimed that he loved her, but the love was fueled by lust and not by God. He only sought what he could gain from her, irrespective of how that would compromise their relationship with God. The love vanished after his goal was achieved, and hatred followed. “Then Amnon hated her exceedingly, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Arise, be gone!”” (II Sam 13:15).
We often apply Paul’s exhortation in 2 Corinthians 6:14-16 to only marriage relationships. It shouldn’t be so. We can apply the principle to any Christian relationship. Any friendship that compromises our Christian values and cuts our connection with God is not a true Christian relationship and should be discarded.
Friends, is God the primary factor in your relationship or selfish gain? Does it have depth or it’s superficial? Does it strengthen your relationship with God or compromise it?
Prayer points
1. Father, help me to build godly, deep, faithful, and lasting friendship in Jesus’ name.
2. I pull out and break out of every ungodly, selfish, and compromising friendships in Jesus’ name.
Today’s declarations
1. Any relationship that compromises my godly values or gradually disconnects me from God is not a true Christian friendship.
2. I practice true friendship by seeking to fulfill God’s purpose in our relationships.
Contact: pastor@thf.org.ng