The last couple of days I have been considering friendship. Why do I hang out with the people I hang out with? Here are some verses I found this morning that helped me put some things in perspective about the friendships we have in our lives.
"But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's. Phil 2: 19-21
As I studied these verses I thought about those I consider to by my friends and realized that, although there are many, MANY things we do not see eye to eye on or would do things differently in personal situations, we are likeminded in most, if not all, spiritual aspects.
We have friendships outside of our church and we cherish them, but most all of our friendships are centered around the people in our church. We have seen many people come and go in the seven years we've been there. Some leave because God has moved them away and some leave because they have moved away from God, seeking, as the verse above says, their own and not the things of Christ. I could expound on both of these, but I don't want to go in that direction today for trying to stay focused on being likeminded.
To be likeminded is to have similar or identical opinions and/or dispositions. As Christians, we can not take a worldly look at life and friendship. We must stay on spiritual levels. So our friendships should be with those that are likeminded in our spiritual opinions and dispositions.
I don't have best friends outside of my marriage. Bruce is my best friend. I have many close female friends that I love dearly and they know that. Although some of those friendships are closer than the others, they'll tell you that I have always made it clear that Bruce is my best friend and fortunately, we hold the same opinions on spiritual matters.
Friends come and go, that's for sure. The friendships that die because of spiritual inconsistency, I can live without. God weeds them out and I am content with that. But the friendships we have, that matter on spiritual similarities, I will always treasure.
