A Friend to the End

Dear Friend,

Do you remember your first day at a new school? Or maybe when you started karate lessons? How about if your family moved to a new state? Ugh! The feelings of being new! Not knowing anyone.

Then, with time, you find someone who likes what you like. Friends are great gifts in life. I, too, had good friends. Not that they were perfect. Sometimes they talked too much. Sometimes they asked a lot of me. I knew I demanded a lot of them. I knew what my Father wanted and I had to do it. I wanted my friends to do the same.

My first command was to love. Total giving. Forgiving 70 x 7 (and 24/7)! Being merciful and gentle. I told my friends, in other words, to love one another as I loved them (see John 15:12).

Believe me, these things didn’t come easy for my friends. But they gradually became more kind and considerate. My love for them was slowly transforming them loving persons. Oh, not that there weren’t disagreements or misunderstandings. That’s part of life. But I wanted them to go beyond the difficulties by accepting each other.

Love comes as we work on it, as we listen to and try to understand each other, even if it’s hard at first. A true friend loves at all times.

Your Friend,

Jesus

Quiet Place

Think of your best friend. Make a list of what you like about him or her. Make a list of what you don’t like. Now think about yourself. List your good points and not-so-good points. Ask Jesus to help you love your friend as he does. Ask him to help you become a better friend, too.