Loving Your NeighborSample

Those words were written by Solomon, who was known as the wisest man who ever lived. He seems to say that friendship is a crucial need for every human being. And the Lord agreed. From the very beginning, He said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” The craving for friendship and connection is meant to draw us to one another. God gave us a deep longing to be loved; it’s like a pain in your heart. I don’t know, but maybe we hurt and hate others out of that pain if it’s not healed. It’s a deep need.

That’s the essence of life. A life that matters. The good life. It’s not about money, fame, or possessions. It’s a life filled with friendships. Friendship with God and friendships with others. Friendships that cross ethnic, gender, and class lines. What would the world look like if we traded in our pursuit of the American dream for friendship with God and others? What if the aching in our souls could finally be filled through friendships?

We desperately need one another to be fully human and to reflect the character of God. But we can’t reflect the character of God if we don’t know Him. He invites us to friendship with Himself first. He is the most important friend you will ever have. If you have never accepted Him as Savior and friend, I invite you to pray this prayer right now:

Lord, thank You for pursuing me and revealing Yourself to me as Savior and Friend. Thank You for dying on the cross to save me from my sins. I open the door of my heart and receive You as Savior and Lord. Please take control of my life, and show me how to live as Your friend in this world. Thank You that I will never be alone.

If you just prayed that prayer, you can be confident that He now lives within your heart and He will direct your life. When I came to know this God as Savior and Friend, it was the answer to the deep longing in my heart. I pray that it will be like that for you too, and you will share what has happened with someone else. Then pray and ask God to lead you to a small group or a church where you can grow in your relationship with Him.

For every one of us who is a friend of God, we have the privilege and responsibility to make Him known and become friends with others. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit have modeled the essential aspects of friendship for us: pursue, go deep, forgive, cross lines, be with, bear fruit. 

We hope you have enjoyed this plan in the John M. Perkins Devotional Series. In 1970, Dr. Perkins was tortured at the hands of the Mississippi police for his leadership in the voting rights movement. His radical forgiveness and tireless pursuit of biblical justice set him on a course where he would counsel six American Presidents, receive 16 honorary doctorates and bring healing to broken communities around the world. His life is a masterclass on purpose, friendship, and joyful endurance. At 91, he wants to pass the baton to the next generation and has created a six-part masterclass to help you discover your God-given purpose in life. To sign up for the free masterclass, visit johnmperkins.com .