"True friends are willing to intrude".
This is what artist TobyMac puts forth in one of his songs. I like this because although being a true friend can be difficult at times, our friends often need us. That one time in their life where everything is going haywire, they need to be able to turn around and know you are there for them. And when you show them your love, they see the light of Jesus and His testimony shining brightly through you. We can affect so many by just being true friends.
Sometimes true friendships are put to the ultimate test.
The Bible also says, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends". (John 15:13) This is the ultimate true friendship. Sticking up for a friend, staying by their side when no one else will, listening to them, loving them when all others abandon them. Sacrificing themselves to save their friend. And confronting them in love when they are caught up in sin.
Has your friend ever done something you knew was wrong? What did you do? Confront them? Or did you try to smile, and ignore the situation, hoping that it would go away? After all, if you ratted them out you would probably lose their friendship, right?
"True friends are willing to intrude".
We need to confront our brothers and sisters in love when they are doing something they shouldn't. Not condemn them, not judge them. But show them in a loving way what they need to do to be brought forth from the problem. How they can be set free. Letting a problem continue to exist in someone's life is like allowing the balloon to keep filling with air. Pretty soon it will pop, and then the situation may be blown way out of proportion. Someone could be hurt. Maybe even your friend. Then you probably would feel guilty you never said anything when you should have.
Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. Matthew 18:15
Our parents confront us when we have done something wrong. They don't do it to condemn us. No, they do it because they love us and they want us to do good, be wise, and not fall into the sins of the world.
Sometimes the truth hurts. But wouldn't you rather know that your friend would be okay? Often times even your friend, after being confronted will confess and be glad you were the one to have confronted him or her rather than someone else.
Look at it this way. 'We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God'. (Romans 3:23) We have all experienced tremendous burdens of some size. Some of us had true friends, people to be there when we needed them most. They were there right beside you to help carry the weight, and the weight of that tremendous burden suddenly lifted from your shoulders. If we need it, then so do others.
Jesus is one of the greatest examples of this. He says in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." In other words, we may not always have physical true friends in our lives, but we do always have Jesus. He is our Hope, the everlasting Being who is ALWAYS there, no matter what. And we can come to Him whenever we need to. He died for our sins, deciding to take the shackles of sin from our arms and burden Himself with the burdens of our lives and of the world.
"The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23
Jesus paid that ultimate price so that we might live. He is the ultimate true friend. He could have left us to the doom of sin. But He loved us so much, He was willing to sacrifice Himself. And when we sin, and we feel convicted, look at it as it is not just your conscience. Maybe that's how God let's you know what you are doing is wrong.
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2
None of us are better than any other. Being Christians doesn't make us higher or perfect. We can stumble into sin just like anyone else. But that's when God, and each other need to step forward to help show the way out. We need to do this not for just Believers, but for everyone too.
9Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
12Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned. Romans 5:12
"The most important one [commandment]," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." Matthew 12:29-31
Jesus said, "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you".* John 15:12
Whitney
