How many friends do you have on Facebook? How many of those “friends” have you never met before? How many people can you call real friends? What makes a person a true friend? Some call everyone they meet their friend, but being a friend is more than just a word.
We were in a church in Florida to hold a meeting for the Deaf in the area. The church hosting the meeting only had two Deaf who regularly attended. These two people did not have much in common, other than attending church every week. However, because they were the only two Deaf in the church, they had become friends. They depended on each other for help and fellowship. Have you noticed that Deaf people have something that ties them together that many Hearing people never experience? Allen Snare, one of our SWM missionaries, came to our church one Wednesday night for a Bible Study. As he entered the room, there was another Deaf man who was very excited to see Allen. The two Deaf men instantly recognized each other. They had gone to Deaf School together more than forty years before! They both looked very different, but they still had a friendship, even after forty years. Friends are very important to Deaf and Hearing!
Recently I read a verse about what God is looking for in a friend. “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones” (Isaiah 57:15). I want to have friends in this world, but I want to be the friend of God even more! To be a friend to God, we need to do what this verse says. We need to have a contrite and humble spirit. Both contrite and humble mean similar things. They are the opposite of proud and demanding! If I want to be a friend to God, I need to be a humble person who is willing to do anything to serve Him. I want to be this kind of friend to God today. I hope you do as well. When we finally meet God in Heaven, we want Him to greet us as these Deaf friends I described above greeted each other!
Are you a friend to God?
