Build the 5 Relationships You Really NeedSample

“Comrade” isn’t a word we use a lot these days, but it nearly always conjures up images of the military because of the old expression “comrade in arms.” This phrase is used for fellow soldiers who fought the same battle and faced the same enemy. Comrades are on the same mission and understand what victory they want to see. Comrades help you train and get equipped with resources, strength, and encouragement for the mission of your life.

God created you to physically perform meaningful work on the earth. To the very first man and woman God said, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground” (Gen. 1:28). You were designed to work in, on, and through God’s creation. The human connections that help you do this are part of your blueprint to thrive.

Do you know the mission you are on in this season? That will help identify your comrades. Maybe it is to graduate from college with honors or to raise your children to love Jesus. When you know what you want, you know who’s running the same race, fighting the same fight, and plowing the same field. Comrades share the whys behind how you live.

Jesus’ comrades were clearly those who were aligned to his mission to spread the Kingdom of God. He said he came to seek and save the lost, so anyone on that mission was his comrade. His closest comrades appear to be the sibling trio of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. They weren’t in his circle but shared a deep conviction that Jesus was the Messiah (see John 11:27). The realm of comrades in Jesus’ life ranged from heart-level friendships with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus to a larger group of coworkers simply known in Scripture as “the seventy-two.” Jesus equipped this larger army of disciples to share in his mission to spread the gospel.

Comrades are your encouragers and the restorative help you need to keep fighting the good fight. Spend some time today writing down a sentence or two about what mission you are on in this season of life. Then ask yourself who’s on the same one. Ask God to bring additional comrades for the support you need right now.