Have you ever thought about what true friendship really is? What makes one a true friend? You could think of someone who listens to you when you’re sad, whom you can reach out to any time, someone with whom you can celebrate your achievements and spend time, someone you can count on and in whom you can confide. These are all beautiful things a friendship can offer us, but it’s still not the highest form of friendship. A true friend will always seek your highest good, that is, your spiritual well-being. A true friend will not be false to you; they will bring you closer to God. Something is false when it’s not true; it’s wrong. Sometimes, we conform to the widely accepted view that beliefs are too personal and private to be discussed. While I agree that everyone has a right to their opinions and beliefs, everything is up for discussion.
You’re the friendliest when leading people to the Truth and sharing the Gospel is the most meaningful task you can engage in as a Christian. You’re not disrespecting others for sharing your Christian Faith; it came from God, so it’s good and true. And remember, you’re only sharing, not imposing it on them; you’re not forcing anyone to believe. And to be fair, Christians are the ones being muted by society. Even in our current democratic society, Christians are still being persecuted. Yes, it is Modern Day Persecution! Jesus said, ‘“A servant is not greater than his lord.” If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you’ (John 15:20). And so the world tries to convince us that it’s wrong to discuss one’s beliefs, that it’s disrespectful to teach about God in schools, and that we’re being offensive by sharing our Christian Faith. But, as they see it, it’s not wrong to teach our children about science that omits God in the Creation of the Universe; it’s not bad to teach them that it’s ok to have premarital sex as long it’s safe and that Christian views on sex and marriage are homophobic (I’m not going to discuss these issues here as I don’t want to deviate from the main topic of this post).
Anyone who tries to discourage you from sharing the Good News isn’t from God. Offending people is a risk Christians should be willing to take for the sake of the Gospel. Remember that even Jesus offended people and the religious leaders of His time (Matthew 15:12; 13:57; Mark 6:3). Would you rather offend people or God? Suppose the answer to this question isn’t clear. In that case, I pray that God will empower you with more courage to overcome the fear of offending people or being criticised by the church leaders. As the Apostle Paul stated in Galatians 1:10 (WEBBE), ‘For am I now seeking the favour of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? For if I were still pleasing men, I wouldn’t be a servant of Christ.‘
The truth is whatever you do, someone will always get offended at some point when you try to please everyone. But when we focus on serving God, we must stop seeking others’ approval. I’m not saying it’s ok to be careless with people’s feelings and offend them deliberately. Still, since people’s souls are at stake, it’s better a rebuke from a friend than the shallow courtesy of an enemy. As Proverbs 27:6 (WEBBE) says, ‘The wounds of a friend are faithful, although the kisses of an enemy are profuse.’ Who can trust the kiss of an enemy? Everyone is familiar with the expression ‘Judas’ kiss, and Jesus knew very well what it meant: false affection, betrayal and death. On the contrary, true friendship leads to faithfulness. Proverbs 18:24 reads that ‘there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother’.
Ultimately, true friendship leads to life (John 10:10; John 15:13). Therefore, every time we share Jesus with people, we show true friendship even though some might perceive this as unfriendly or rude. Don’t believe it; those are lies from Satan, who doesn’t want anyone to have eternal life because he knows the future that awaits him, so he wants to drag people with him to hell. If you let him stop you from sharing the Good News when the opportunity presents itself, you’re no different than those who appear “polite”, but their courtesy goes no deeper. So, be a true friend!
JGR, the person behind Greyes, is a passionate follower of Jesus, and she delights in studying God’s Word, as well as encouraging others to deepen their relationship with Christ. She has attained a Certificate of Higher Education in Theology, Ministry, and Mission from Durham University and holds a Bachelor of Theology from the University of Oxford. Her theological education is distinguished by a robust academic emphasis on ancient Biblical languages (Hebrew and Greek) and Apologetics. Additionally, with her academic background in Art & Design and a Master of Science in Podiatry, she is dedicated to pursuing both fields when not composing works on Theology. In her leisure time, she enjoys reading, hiking, and cooking.
GREYES 