Jesus’ Power Help us be Good Friends
There is a phrase that I hear I often that goes like this (or a version of it): “If we all just love each other, most of our issues would go away.” Now, on the surface this seems really good, and even simple. If I just love you and you just love me, then our differences and the hardships between us will go away. But, I do not think it is that simple.
One my closest friends and I have been through so much together. There was a time when we didn’t feel quite as close. We figured out that it was because we were not willing to dig in and talk about a few things that were causing some tension between us. Our working theory before that was; these things are in the past and we can just keep them there now. But, we never worked on them in the past either, so our choice to just say I love you, man and then move on wasn’t complete.
I think that this is what we can get out of John 15:12, we are not just to say we love one another and move on, but love as Jesus did. Jesus had the tough conversations, Jesus talked to disciples about how they should not have turned the children away from him. Jesus, knew that he was making a statement when telling the parables he told. I believe this is because Jesus wanted to show us that working through things with honesty, and with care for others is love, and that is friendship.
The conversations and working through tough moments are vitally important as stated above. Jesus also taught us that listening is important too. I think of the story of Lazarus, I have to image that Jesus already knew that he was going to raise him from the dead, yet he sat with the family and wept, Jesus knew that loving someone else means being with them and supporting them in life. We can do the same.
So, let us turn to Jesus for the strength to love our friends and care for others with a deep meaning of what friendship can be.
“Jesus, give me the courage and grace to be a good friend and to share your love. Amen.”
Jay Kiel
Tomorrow: Jesus’ Power Pulls us Through
