Friendship

Last week, I was deeply blessed by visits from three men who live in different parts of the country. One of them wrote this, and with his permission, I am sharing his kind words with you.

“Greater love has no one than this, than he lay down his life for his friends” John 15:13 NKJV

Much has been written on this passage, but I am learning a more simple yet deeper understanding of applying Jesus’ words to my life.

I recently traveled to visit a “friend” who is in a struggle that is beyond her ability to manage on her own. This friend of mine is one of the most capable and driven individuals I have ever met, yet the Lord has strategically positioned her to rely fully on Him and those “friends” and family that He has provided for her.

Upon my arrival, my friend’s lifelong college buddy, Kim, picked me up at the airport, drove me to the hospital, and sat patiently while I sat visiting my friend. Although we had never met, we shared a kinship in our common love for our friend. Kim had dropped everything in a very active life with a family and responsibilities of her own to sit with our friend, help manage the flow of visitors, be a sounding board for ideas and future plans, and look out for the best interests of our friend. Her selfless actions made this verse come to my mind in a vivid, real life, example of what Jesus meant when he defined the greatest form of sacrificial love.

Few of us will ever be called upon to “take a bullet” for a friend or push someone out of the path of an inbound train. But just as Jesus commanded us to “deny ourselves, take up our our cross daily and follow him” (Luke 9:23), He also wants us to “daily” lay down our lives for the people he has put into our path. Living this out means dropping our own agenda to be present for another person and sometimes even allowing others to show us our own selfishness when we think we have a handle on life’s frustrations.

I learn that I should seek out this level of sacrificial friendship in the common events, “daily”, as well as in the major storms of life. I went to visit my beloved friend, to encourage and be present, and returned home with a new perspective and a new friend.

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” 1 Corinthians 13:13