Devotion Thought: What is Christian Friendship?

What is true Christian friendship?

From Our Daily Bread on John 15:9-17:
http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2010/01/21/devotion.aspx


The Lord Jesus Christ gave us a definition of Christian friendship:

You are my friends if you do what I command (verse 14).

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you (verse 12).

This is my command: Love each other (verse 17).


So, a Christian friend is someone who loves other exactly like how Jesus loves him.

King David has 3 kinds of friends which we also need:

1. Jonathon (1 Sam 18)
- someone who truly love you, encourage you and stand by you even when everyone is against you.

2. Nathan (2 Sam 12)
- someone who chastise and discipline you when you go wrong or fall into sin.

3. Mephibosheth (2Sam 9)
- someone who you can help and care for, knowing that he will never be able to repay your kindness.

Years ago, I have a “Jonathon” where we encourage one another in every aspect. I can consider my spiritual mentor during my younger days as a “Nathan”. Now I don’t have any.

In BPCES, we dare not chastise one another when we see something wrong. Even when I wrote about it, it is considered dangerous and highly critical. Our friendships are just “Sunday” friends, like someone once wrote in my blog. We don’t dare to intrude into others lives, even when they have problem, they try to remain anonymous. None of us want to be a “Mephibosheth” and let others be our “David”.

So, to all Bethanians, be these 3 kinds of friends. Will you?

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity (Prov 17:17)