If you love only the people who love you, you will get no reward. Even the tax collectors do that. And if you are nice only to your friends, you are no better than other people. Even those who don’t know God are nice to their friends. Matthew 5:46-47
When was the most recent time you developed a new friendship?
Reflect on how your friendship began with one of your very best friends.
Do you find new friendships exciting, daunting, or something else?
Not all of us struggle with making new friends. Those people who are very social meet new people just about everywhere they go. As our Facebook friends lists grow, we might feel we’re making friends with many people. However, for today’s devotion time, let’s stick to face-to-face, committed friendships – the friends you want to spend time with, investing your life into theirs and vice versa. You might have several of these friends in your life right now, or you might be searching for a person you can trust. God will provide. He wants you to be in healthy relationships with others, and he will guide you into relationships that will teach you what is healthy and what is not – in other words, what is God-honoring and what is not. But you must be sensitive to his leading and obedient in his guidance. Friendships don’t magically begin. No one shows up at your doorstep and announces she’s your new best friend. You don’t instantly share your life story with someone. Friendships take cultivation. Cultivation takes time and involves risks, which is why we often avoid friendships. Maintaining status quo is easier, but it also stunts growth. When you hesitate to invest in someone, you might be avoiding pain, but you’re also robbing yourself of potential joy. You’re also stealing opportunities from the person with whom God has the intention of you become friends. Obeying God’s way isn’t safe, but it’s always secure. You can trust him even when life is messy.
Watch for God to bring someone across your path with whom you can plant seeds of friendship. Or perhaps there’s someone you’ve been meaning to go a bit deeper with. Today is the day.