My Mamow used to tell me that I would be very blessed to have a handful of what could be considered true friends. I used to think she was crazy; I had tons of friends! However, as I have gotten older I understand what she was saying. There was true wisdom in that. I have found the ones who are true to me; who have been there for me in good and bad. I have found that my true friends tell me the truth; whether I want to hear it or not. They will also rebuke me and though it doesn’t feel good when they do it, I know they are simply following the Word of God which says “an open rebuke is better than hidden love”. They rebuke me and tell me I am wrong because they love me and don’t want me to mess up. I do the same for them.
As I was reading the Bible a few nights ago, I came across the story in Luke 5:17 wherein friends lowered their crippled friend through the roof to get him to Jesus. It is summed up like this. These guys really loved their friend and wanted him to get healed. They knew that there was a man wandering around at the time who could do it with just one touch. The man, who was called Jesus, was holding a meeting in a home and they couldn’t get their friend, who was on a cot, to him. So, they figured out another way. They literally took the roof off and dropped the friend in front of Jesus!! Now, I really want you to put yourself into that home. Imagine being there, listening to Jesus talk, and all of a sudden, the roof starts coming off! You look up and here are these crazy guys lowering their friend’s cot down to the main speaker! Ok, I don’t know about you; but I think those are some true friends. It turns out that Jesus was quite taken with their method and indeed their guy did get healed.
My question to you is this: are you that type of friend? Are you the type of friend who would go to such lengths for someone you call a friend? Are you there for your friends or do you shrug off the phone calls if you are too busy?
Take a lesson from these crazy guys who tore a roof off for their friend! We can learn from these guys; they crack me up! I can just see them in my mind. You know what—may I be like them! May I be that kind of friend. May nothing stop me from showing my friends Jesus. May God put that kind of love in my heart…that I can be the kind of friend that, if necessary, will tear off a roof to deliver my friends to the feet of the Savior.
