Friends

"15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends for all things that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain that whatever you ask the Father in My Name, He may give you. 17 These things I command you that you love one another"  John 15:15-17.  NKJV

When I was very young, I remember hearing a song on the radio that many people used to sing around that time. The words went something like this:

When you've got friends and neighbours All the world is a happier place Friends and neighbours Put a smile on the gloomiest face Just take your little troubles and share `em With the folks next door Make's it twice as easy to bear `em That's what friends are for `cos if you've friends and neighbours That is something money won't buy You can hold your head up high Although you've not a penny And your house may be tumbling down With friends and neighbours You're the richest man in town. Copyright 1954 Billy Cotton

Everywhere I went as a kid, people were singing this sing and it became quite 
nostalgic. This was when people could leave there back doors and windows open 
while they were out, with no fear of anyone breaking in. People would watch your 
backs and the true meaning of true friendship was around most areas.

This song came to mind when I was reading this scripture. Just think of Jesus. King 
of kings and Lord of lords and yet, willing to call us friends. Could you picture the 
Queen saying this to us? I don't really think so. But Jesus calls us friends and not 
servants. We didn't choose Him either. He chose us. Again, what a major privilege is 
that, being chosen by Jesus. Amazing.
Adding to this, He also appointed us to work for Him and bear good fruit. Basically to let people see Jesus in us so that they may want what we have, too.

You know, we can latch ourselves onto someone and follow them around and do 
whatever we can to get them to notice us. However, it won't make you their friend. 
Jesus offers us His friendship. A friendship that is never critical, two-faced, 
demanding or envious. All He asks is that we love people as He has loved us. That is the fruit we mentioned earlier. As we offer the love of God to people we meet, they 
will notice something different about us. Something, they have probably never seen.
It may even make them feel nostalgic like the the song I mentioned earlier.

But more than anything, people will notice that you have someone who loves you 
more than anything, and they may just ask you about that love.

That's food for thought, isn't it?

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com