As we continue this week – Do you remember the passage Mike used from the New Testament? It is a small letter Paul wrote to a dear friend who held church in his home. (Philemon) – Paul’s letter hit upon the three effects positive relationships can have in our lives. A positive relationship will bring delight in our lives, work to develop me to become more like Christ and drive me to pursue the goals that God has for my life.
My wife does all these things and many more. That is because she is my best friend, but there are other friends in my life that continue to have the same effect on me….
Here is your chance to brag about one or several of your positive friendships and how they have delighted, developed and driven you to be the person you are today.
This one’s easy! My friendships with my co-workers have been quite significant for me. When I moved to Charlotte 11 years ago, my faith was very flat and without depth or dimension. Being surrounded by Christian friends put me in a position to watch how a life committed to Jesus actually looks. I think of my friend Beth whose position was eliminated in budget cuts about 7 years ago — she reacted with calmness and confidence that God would provide, and he did! She ended up switching to another school with a job that was a promotion from what she had at our school. Her confidence in God and her firm belief that God truly does have good plans for each of us made a big impact on me. And there’s also David — I was a chaperone on a few student mission trips that David led, and while he was teaching the students how to have a daily quiet time, he was showing me too. I discovered (as if it was a new concept!) the power of prayer. David was a dear friend — he even ended up being the person who performed the wedding ceremony when Todd and I got married.
Being surrounded by Christians has made a big difference in my own faith!