A friend who was family

A little more than a week ago, I lost a best friend. 

When I spoke at her memorial service, I quoted Proverbs 18:24: “There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” But I told the crowd that had gathered in the service what the verse meant to me: “There is a friend who feels as close as a sister.” 

Sheila Cook was that kind of friend to me. 

When she passed away, I lost a sister, but only for a time. 

Genuine friendship is a great gift 

Sheila was married to the long-time, now retired, president of Dallas Baptist University. I am married to a man who is also well-known in many circles. People often saw Sheila and me as the “wives of” more than they saw us as the people we are individually. 

And that was fine! We had and have every reason to be proud of our last names and the men who gave them to us. But Sheila and I knew each other as the people God made us to be. We had a genuine friendship that was born from two people who understood our positions and then gave one another permission to be ourselves too. That made her friendship a great privilege to me. 

I loved Sheila not just for her gracious ability to treat others well and truly care about them. I loved Sheila for her unique laughter, for her unlikely sense of humor, and for her willingness to let me know her as a person, not just a persona. We shared that kind of friendship, and we both felt blessed by God for his kind gift. 

Too soon, Lord 

Sheila went into the hospital to have a surgery that she hoped would give her more energy and more air in her lungs. I didn’t want her to have it and told her that her friends would be glad to adjust our lives to whatever she was able to do. When she was still in surgery, long after she was supposed to be, I began praying. 

There were complications, and a LOT of God’s people began praying for her and her family. But she didn’t get better and passed away. 

I had been praying, knowing what God could do, but I also asked the Spirit to guide my prayers to want whatever God planned to do. When I heard she was gone, I was still unprepared for the feelings that followed. 

Grief is a strange weight that we carry through the day as we walk past people who are just fine. Grief is an ache we keep to ourselves among people who have no reason to understand. Grief can really only be shared with people who are feeling it as well. 

God is enough 

I was driving around town doing my errands. It’s kind of surreal to do the normal things of life when nothing feels normal in our hearts. That day a song came on the radio that I hope you will take time to listen to.  

When I heard the song, I thought of Sheila. In fact, if Sheila could have sent me a message, it would have been this song. Sheila’s great gift from God was her ability to enjoy people and care about their needs. She loved to encourage others. She loved to bring gifts to people she cared about, hoping to help them throughout a happy, important, or tough moment in life. She was a caregiver, and she was a delight to the people who were blessed to call her a friend. 

The song I heard that day was “That’s Enough” by Brandon Heath. As I sat and listened to the words, I knew that I would give it to all of you. The chorus of the song is: “I am here. I am loved. God is good, and that’s enough.”

The song is about living with a sensitivity toward the people who surround us every day. The song is about being the person God can use to be his voice of hope or his arms of goodness and love. People need the Lord and deserve to know they are loved. That’s who Sheila was in my life.  

I am forever blessed by her friendship. Now, I am forever called to honor her memory by treating others with the compassion and love that I have been privileged to receive. 

That’s enough 

I hope you will take the time to watch the video of “That’s Enough” all the way to the end. There is a line printed at the end of the song that would be the words Sheila would tell us: “Be kind. For some you meet are fighting an unseen battle.” 

The apostle Peter wrote to his church, and to us, saying, “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). Every person you meet today has sinned and will sin again. None of us are perfect until we are perfected in heaven. But we can offer the love of God to others and be good friends to those God brings into our lives for that purpose.  

We don’t love others because they are perfect, we love others because they are not. Genuine love sees the person as they are and loves them anyway. That is a friend who will stick closer than a brother, a friend who will be a sister. 

God is good, and that’s enough 

I may never have the opportunity to know you this side of heaven. But, if you and I are saved by Christ, we are part of an amazing family of brothers and sisters. We are here for now. And we are loved. God is always good. And God is always enough. 

I will miss Sheila more than I know. At the same time, I smile often as I hear her voice in my heart. The day I heard the song, I had to dry my eyes and wipe away the mascara that I had cried off. I wondered how I would get through my tribute at her memorial service. 

I heard Sheila say to my heart, “Waterproof mascara. You don’t want to look like a raccoon up there!” Then I heard her unique laughter and found myself laughing and crying all at the same time. That was exactly what Sheila would have said! Sheila and I could say anything to one another because we knew it was said in love. 

Above all . . . 

Above all, let’s live like Peter taught us and Brandon Heath’s song encourages. Let’s walk through this world aware that some are fighting an unseen battle and give God permission to enlist us to help. 

Let’s live like Sheila did, with a genuine, heartfelt appreciation for others just as they are. 

Whatever else you might need to hear today, hear this: God knows right where you are and you are loved. God is good, and that’s always enough. 

We have the promise of an eternity to be friends, to be family. We can share that gift with as many as we can, right now.

Who are your forever friends?

Last week, through tears, I looked at a crowd of women who will be friends forever. I may not see them each week, but I will think of them often on Thursday mornings, knowing they are together for Bible study. As I told them, it isn’t hard to go, it’s just hard to leave.

Life is supposed to move forward with new adventures, new friendships, and new directions from God. We have the opportunity to know a lot of people throughout our lives. Some we call friends and others acquaintances. 

For all of us, there are people who will be friends forever. 

Who are your forever friends?

The last lesson I taught was from Revelation 1 and 22. I love the book of Revelation, and it is the only book of the Bible that promises to bless the people who read it and “take [it] to heart” (Revelation 1:3 NIV). In other words, those who read the Revelation and “keep what is written in it” (v. 3 ESV) will have a blessed life now and eternally. 

Revelation 22 redefines our idea of family. All of us have an earthly family that is precious to us, but we won’t define “family” the same way in heaven. Hopefully, all of our earthly family will be there, but realistically we know that isn’t always true.

Chapter 22 provides a picture of what our lives will be like in heaven and redefines family eternally. The Apostle John was imprisoned on the island of Patmos when Jesus came to him and told him to write these things down and to make them known to the churches. The angel provided this picture of heaven that we, the church, are to think about. Consider the words of Revelation 22:1–5, knowing they will be a blessing to you now and eternally: 

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”

I pointed out these things to my class last week: 

  • The river of life flows from the “throne” of God and of the Lamb. The triune God, the Holy Trinity, is the source of everything in heaven. There is one throne, one Godhead, One to worship.
  • The tree of life lives and thrives on both sides of the river and the leaves are for the healing of the nations. There will always be wars and divisions on earth. There will be none in heaven.
  • Nothing is accursed in heaven. God cursed the land after the Fall and now there are plants like thorns and thistles. We live with storms, droughts, floods, and earthquakes. Our planet is not perfect and never will be. Heaven will be perfect because nothing eternal is “accursed.”
  • Everyone in heaven will see the face of God. We will see the One we worship and dwell in his Presence. Every moment will be peace, contentment, health, joy, and love.
  • His “name” will be written on our foreheads. His name, his character, will “mark” every person in heaven. We will be given that “new name” and we will all know we are forever the family of God.

The friends we will have forever are the friends we will call our family in heaven. We will have all of eternity to spend time with them, laugh with them, enjoy their stories, and share eternal joys with one another. Our earthly lives are the way we meet those people now who, someday, we will enjoy in heaven. 

An earthly goal with eternal rewards

Jesus taught us how to live on earth so that our eternal life would be rich with reward. His life was our example to follow. Jesus gave his followers an important commandment. Jesus said: 

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:12–15). 

God provided us our example, his own Son, so we can live our lives on earth with eternal goals. We can look at the life of Christ and know the life that God wants for us as well. When we study the words of Christ, we can’t ignore that God’s children are called to lay down their lives for friends too. In fact, we are commanded to live with that goal. 

Each day we share the same earthly goal Christ had when he walked on this earth. Jesus came to help people know God and live eternally in heaven. 

Love one another, as Jesus loved us

What is the best way to be like Christ and fulfill his commands? 

We need to pray to be filled with the love of God so that we have his love for others. “Greater love” has no one until they are filled with the love of God. 

We know what Jesus would do, and those thoughts provide his perspective for the people around us. Jesus didn’t call us “servants;” he called us friends. Jesus said, “I have made known to you all that I have heard from my Father.” 

We know our goal in this life is to help people become our forever friends. Those people will not just be our friends in heaven; they will also be our family. 

Whom do you love here on earth that needs to become your forever friend in heaven? 

We have a higher goal than simply enjoying people’s friendships on earth. If we truly love them, we will want them to belong to our family, forever. 

Take a moment and pray by name for those friends who still need salvation in Christ. Jesus will “make known” to you your next steps. He wants those people to be your forever friends too.

The Small “g” gods

We recently spent time on the island of Kauai and enjoyed learning the history and culture of the island. We chose Kauai because it was the quieter and slower paced island in Hawaii. It’s called the Garden Island, and it is easy to see why.

We left Los Angeles and flew over the water for about six hours. All of us were excited when the pilot announced we could see Hawaii over the left wing. There is something comforting about seeing land. I can only imagine how Captain Cook felt when he first spied the islands. I was happy after six hours; he had been sailing from one land mass to the next for almost two years.

Cook landed on a beach in Kauai in 1778, becoming the first European to ever visit Hawaii. He named the series of land masses the Sandwich Islands, after the Earl of Sandwich, who had sponsored his explorations. Cook was in search of a Northwest passage around the North American continent when he ran across the Hawaiian Islands.

Cook and his crew arrived at a unique time for the native Polynesian people. They were celebrating the harvest, and Cook’s ship, with its large mast and size, caused the people to think Cook was associated in some way with a god they called Lono. As a result, Cook and his men were treated with the highest regard. Unfortunately, the European “guests” took advantage of the native people while they were there. Cook and his men stayed on the island for a month before setting sail, and a great deal of abuse took place during that time.

Captain Cook and his men encountered a strong storm shortly after setting sail. They were forced to turn back to Kauai. When the ship came into view, the people saw the mast had been broken and determined that these men could not be gods after all. This visit was filled with tension, and one of Cook’s long boats was stolen. Cook decided to kidnap the tribal king and hold him until the boat was returned. But the king’s warriors killed Cook and several of his men in retaliation. Those left on Cook’s ship watched the attack and then escaped to tell the story.

As I listened to the tour guide tell the story of Captain Cook, I wondered how one group of people could consider another group of people as gods. According to the narrative of history, the ship caused the confusion. The Polynesian people had never seen steel before and were convinced that it had to have been made by a god. The European men used the steel nails they had on board to trade for all kinds of things, including immoral favors with the local women.

False gods can wield great power if people choose to take advantage of the lies.

When God issued the Ten Commandments, the first one said, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). The next commandment said, “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them” (Exodus 20:4–5). The European sailors held up a nail and used it to manipulate and abuse other people. They knew it was just a nail but allowed others to consider it an idol. If God listed those two commandments first, could it be that he knew that false gods and idols would always be the most pervasive sins of people?

Most museums hold icons and carved images of things that native cultures considered gods. The Greeks and Romans had a pantheon of gods. Native Americans worshiped things in nature. The Polynesian people carved gods out of bone and were quick to assume what they did not understand could be explained as a god. I wonder how different the history and culture of the Hawaiian people might have been if those European sailors had told the truth. I wonder if Captain Cook would have lived to sail other voyages and create other maps.

All cultures know there is a power and force greater than themselves. Paul wrote, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things” (Romans 1:18–23).

Ungodliness and futile thinking produce false gods. Creation was supposed to remind the created that there is a God who is far superior to any man or woman. Yet, every culture has created false gods in order to feel wise, even powerful in themselves.

I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about the idols or false gods I might have created. I know there is only one true Creator God. I believe in the salvation he provided in Jesus. I believe the Bible. I don’t have a carved image I worship as a god. So, do I really have a problem with the first and second commandments?

I think the answer is found in Psalm 115:4. That verse says, “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.” Everyone tends to create and worship idols we have successfully produced in our own life. As I sit typing this blog, with a view of the same vast ocean that Captain Cook sailed, I am reminded of the true power in this world and the smallness of everything else. I appreciate all that human hands have made, but I will do my best not to worship those things. Every culture has idols, but God has given us his creation to remind us that he is supreme. Let’s choose to worship him today and give him the glory for all he has provided.

The God Daniel Knew

March is a great time to live in Texas. While much of the country is still shoveling snow, Texans are watching the early hints of spring sprout from the ground and bud on trees. We have almost turned the corner on another winter and spring is on the way. The seasons measure the forward progress of time, and they remind us of the constant and consistent work of our divine God.

The prophet Daniel is one of the most exceptional people in the Bible. I’m sure he made mistakes; he was a human being. But Daniel had a faith-walk with God that gifted him with wisdom and abilities only the Holy Spirit could provide. Daniel knew God and he helped others, even King Nebuchadnezzar, to know God as well.

Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that troubled him. He called for his advisors in the middle of the night and demanded they offer him an interpretation. When someone asked him to describe his dream, the king refused. Nebuchadnezzar believed that a true prophet would be able to know the dream as well as the interpretation. The men said it was impossible to do what Nebuchadnezzar was requesting. The king was so angered that he ordered the execution of these men who served as his advisors.

When Daniel heard what the king was planning to do, he called his friends together and they prayed. When Daniel went to sleep, God gave him a vision with the answers he needed to save himself, his friends, and the other Babylonian leaders as well. Daniel knew and understood the king’s dream.

Before Daniel went to speak to Nebuchadnezzar, he offered words of praise. Those words are one of the finest Old Testament descriptions of who God was, is, and always will be. Maybe it has been a while since you paused to praise God or consider his greatness. Maybe Daniel’s words should be yours today.

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons;
he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king” (Daniel 2:20–23).

 What did Daniel know about God?

  • God is unchanging and worthy of praise. When was the last time you truly praised God?
  • God is always wise, always powerful. Do you search for wisdom and power somewhere else?
  • God is moving time forward, changing the seasons as a reminder of that progress. Do you embrace the progress or wish you could delay it?
  • God is the one who controls the “kings” of this world. Have you worried that things seem “out of control?”
  • God gives wisdom to those who are wise enough to seek it. How often do you ask God for his perfect wisdom?
  • God gives knowledge to people who will think like him. Do you know what to do with the wisdom God gives you?
  • God reveals deep things that we could not know of apart from his revelation. What was the last great truth or calling God revealed to you?
  • God is light, dispelling darkness. Does God light up the room when you enter?
  • God gives us the abilities we need to serve him and others. Do you know and trust you are able because you know and trust that God is able?

Daniel was who he was because he knew God. The secret of Christian success is not measured by all we accomplish for God. Instead, it is measured by all that God accomplishes through us. Our success begins with knowing God like Daniel knew him.

Take some time to praise God using Daniel’s words. And keep praising until the truth is proven true in your life. Daniel knew God. We can too. How many times will God manifest himself in your life before the leaves that are just beginning to bud fall to the ground next fall?

Time is moving forward. Praise God and serve him well.

Lessons from Daniel, Tim Tebow and Tony Dungy

Who would you rather have dinner with on the cruise ship? Daniel, Tim Tebow, Tony Dungy, Mike Pence or Joy Behar? If you have the gift of evangelism, you probably said “Joy,” but the rest of us would likely vote for one of the others. There is a lot of verbal slander these days from the non-Christian viewpoint but Christians should find a lot of comfort in recognizing the power of the Christian influence in our world.

Joy Behar made news a couple of weeks ago for slandering the Vice President’s faith. She said Pence’s religious beliefs were “scary” and a kind of “mental illness.” Those comments were a response to an interview on The View with Omarosa Manigault. Manigault said that Americans should be worried about Pence because he thinks Jesus speaks to him. Behar said, “It’s one thing to talk to Jesus. It’s another thing when Jesus talks to you.”

I won’t spend my time blogging about those comments. If you read this blog, you don’t need any convincing about which side of the argument has merit. Joy Behar would consider us mentally ill and scary. Omarosa would probably be worried about all of us who believe the Bible and God’s Holy Spirit are his voice. I pray both women are given the chance to recognize and know the voice of Jesus before they stand before Him.

I think it’s important for us to consider the power of a godly witness. I’m teaching Daniel, chapter one this week. I’ve often said that two of the people I look forward to meeting in heaven are Daniel’s mom and dad. The prophet was a young man when King Nebuchadnezzar’s soldiers captured and enslaved him. The first wave of captives were the best and the brightest from Israel and Daniel was in that group.  Daniel and his friends were powerful influences to the pagan Babylonian culture, and to every culture since.

Tim Tebow is the only minor league ankle sprain making headlines today. He recently tripped on a sprinkler and his opening game appearance has been delayed for several weeks. Tony Dungy received a lot of criticism for his pre-game interview with the quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles, Nick Foles, because they discussed the confidence that his Christian faith gave him for the game. Each of these men have lived with a vocal and influential Christian witness to our culture.

What lessons do these men teach us that we should learn and help others to learn?

We should speak up for our faith. Mike Pence was quick to respond to Joy Behar saying, “It’s just simply wrong for ABC to have a television program that expresses that kind of religious intolerance.” Tim Tebow received criticism for bowing to pray, wearing John 3:16 on his football black-eye paint, and for his position on sexual abstinence until marriage. Tony Dungy has been criticized for “preaching on air.” We should all be so lucky. Jesus said, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account” (Matthew 5:11).

We should recognize the powerful impact of an enduring witness. Daniel was a prophet in Babylon for about seventy-five years. Tebow was raised in a strong Christian home and continues to live with his convictions. Tony Dungy was an undrafted player in 1977 and was fired from his head-coaching job twenty-five years later. He preaches that God has always turned his trials into blessings. Dungy was honored at the age of sixty when elected into the Football Hall of Fame. During his acceptance speech he said, “The Lord has truly led me on a wonderful journey through 31 years in the NFL—through some temporary disappointments to some incredible joys.” The goal for every Christian is to be able to reach the end of our lives saying, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

Separate your life from the things that are ungodly. Daniel and his friends didn’t eat the food the Babylonians put in front of them. Instead, they honored their faith and only ate what was considered “clean” food. They were stronger and healthier for living in obedience to God and separating themselves from the unclean ways of the Babylonians. I don’t watch The View so Joy Behar has little, to no influence in my life. But I know the show is popular with a lot of people. I know the Christian women who have been hosts don’t stick around very long on that show. That ought to influence the Christian viewers to do the same. The word “holy” means to be set apart or dedicated to what is sacred. One of the common denominators of Daniel, Tim Tebow and Tony Dungy is the outstanding influence of their witness. They all stand out in the crowds, not for just what they say, but for their lives that give their words power. St. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.”

If I’m ever on a cruise ship with Joy Behar, Tony Dungy or Tim Tebow I will probably just pray about where I am seated. But I can’t help but think the Baked Alaska will taste better if I get to share dessert with Tony or Tim! For today, it is a good idea just to consider the opportunities we have. Help us Lord to preach your Gospel with our lives and, when necessary, with our words. We want to, and can, lead powerful lives of Christian influence.

Contagious

I thought I was successfully and carefully avoiding the flu, until last Wednesday. I’m borderline OCD when it comes to washing my hands and staying germ-free. But, I got in my car after teaching Bible study and felt tired. I’m usually a little tired after teaching, so I didn’t think too much about that. Later that afternoon, my head hurt. I thought, Mountain Cedar. (I’m really allergic to Mountain Cedar.)

I woke up Thursday morning with almost no voice. I considered the idea of hot tea and throat lozenges to enable me to teach my Thursday study. But, when I stood up I thought, Oh no . . . I’m sick. I went to the doctor Thursday afternoon, and she returned to my room saying, “You have Type-B influenza.” I left the office wearing the face mask I had received at the check-in desk. The people on the elevator shrank into the corner like I was the carrier of some dreaded disease. I was.

It has been fifteen years since I’ve had the flu! I don’t get sick. I’ve often said, “I have an immune system like a brick wall!” But, even brick walls get knocked down by oncoming trucks—and this flu was one of those. It only takes a moment to catch this flu. One handshake, one sneeze, or just one quick breath from a contagious person and the virus goes to work. What a difference a moment can make!

By the time you read these words, I will be back on my feet and no longer contagious. Tamiflu has been my friend, and I’m well on the road to wellness. Thankfully, I’m the only member of the family to get sick.

I thought about skipping my blog post this week and blaming the flu. It is kind of hard to think about much else right now. But I had a thought, which caused me to start typing. It was prompted by the looks I saw on people’s faces while I was wearing that mask. (I wish I had taken a selfie for this post!)

As I sat in the waiting room, people crossed the room to sit as far away as possible. The people on the elevator dashed out the minute the doors opened, anxious to escape the shared space with the masked woman. No one wanted to be near me, and I didn’t blame them. I was contagious, and they didn’t want to catch what I had.

I wanted to rip the mask off my face so they wouldn’t be uncomfortable and I wouldn’t have to feel embarrassed. But, to remove my mask would have been the wrong thing for everyone, so I kept it on. However, one woman looked at me and offered a sympathetic smile. She didn’t sit next to me, but she didn’t treat me like my “disease” either. I was surprised at how grateful I felt for her. I hope she knew I was smiling back behind my mask.

I think that is what Jesus would have done. I wonder if the woman at the well felt similar feelings when Jesus took the time to speak to her. I imagine that is how Zacchaeus, a hated tax collector, felt when Jesus called him out of that tree. The lepers of Jesus’ day had to shout “Unclean!” so no one would touch them. Jesus took their hands and healed them. Everyone we know has a disease of some kind, but if we want to live like Jesus, we need to look past the mask and see the person.

I was reminded how important the small moments of life can be for both the good and bad. That woman will probably never know she made my afternoon a little bit easier. I will return to the doctor’s office in a couple of weeks for my regular appointment. I will almost surely see someone wearing a mask like I had. I will do my best to catch their eye and smile. I hope it will help. In fact, if Jesus directs my eyes, I’m sure it will. Apparently, smiles are contagious too. I’m looking forward to sharing what I received from someone else.

Jesus is still walking through this world, hoping to touch others. He just uses people like us to accomplish his work. Whose mask will you look past today—and see the person instead? Let’s make Christian kindness as contagious as this flu. It will probably just take a moment to pass that along to someone else.

Friends are Family

My friend called me from her vacation the other day and said, “You have GOT to get these sandals!” By the time we hung up, I had a pair ordered and on the way. (By the way, the name of the sandals is OOFOS Oolala flip-flops.) We have shopped together many times, and she knows what I like: comfort, mostly, but she said these were also good for my feet. According to the five-star reviews, she was making a great recommendation.

I’m not selling shoes, and I will not get a kickback from recommending these kicks. (By the way, that’s millennial-speak for shoes.) The point is this: She took a break from her vacation to let me know she had found something wonderful she wanted to share with me. I knew I could trust her recommendation without hesitation. She knows me and knows what I like. I know her and know her advice is solid. Friends and friendship are a special blessing from God. I’m glad he created us to need and enjoy other people, especially people who know how to shop!

Proverbs 27:9 says, “Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.” We all spend a lot of time enjoying the “stuff” of life, but I think God would tell us to put a lot of effort into enjoying our friends. Those relationships are sweet, and close friends are rare. It’s easy to take friends for granted, but Scripture would tell us to invest at least as much time in our friends as we do looking for the other “stuff” in this world.

Proverbs 18:24 says, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Some people get to live near their brothers and sisters, and their family members are often their best friends. Most people now live in separate cities, lead separate lives, and find that their friends are often closer than family. Maybe that is why the Lord defined our relationships with fellow Christians as “brothers and sisters.” Spiritually, friends are also our family. We are related by the spiritual DNA we each received from accepting Jesus as Lord. All of us belong to a large family of faith. But, among that family there will be a few special people we also call our friends.

Hebrews 10:24–25 instructs us to make friendships that will strengthen our Christian character. Those verses say: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Good friends will help us become better people. A friend might say, “You look good in that color,” but a good friend will say, “That color is good, but I don’t like the way that is fitting you.” Good friends tell the whole truth because the whole truth will help you make better choices. A friend might agree with you any time you need them to. A good friend will sometimes hold you to a higher standard, and therefore help you live more like God would intend. Friends make this life a little better, but good friends will strengthen our eternal lives as well. “The Day” is drawing near, and it will be a unique privilege to share eternity with good friends who have become our family.

Jesus wanted to be our Lord and Savior and gave his life so that we could be with him in heaven. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). But then Jesus said, “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15). As we think about our closest friends, we should make certain to count Jesus among them. Maybe that is why God created us with a desire for friendship and community. God wanted us to understand that aspect of the relationship he wanted to share with us.

Jesus is Savior and Lord, but he is also the best friend we will ever have. May the sweetness of his counsel be part of our lives each day. May we live aware of his presence as he sticks closer than a brother throughout the day. May Jesus stir us up to love and do good works, and may we serve him as our friend as well as our master.

I’m grateful that God called us to be a friend and to have friends. Life is sweeter now and eternally as a result. And my feet are happy too! Those sandals are AMAZING. I’m pretty sure my mansion in glory will have a closet full of OOFOS flip-flops!