Read
31Don't be jealous
of cruel people
or follow their example.
32The Lord doesn't like
anyone who is dishonest,
but he lets good people
be his friends.
33He places a curse on the home
of everyone who is evil,
but he blesses the home
of every good person.
34 The Lord sneers at those
who sneer at him,
but he is kind to everyone
who is humble.
35You will be praised
if you are wise,
but you will be disgraced
if you are a stubborn fool.
Reflect
Friendship – women gravitate to it and thrive with it. Men shrink from it but without it shrivel up and die. And for teenagers having friends is right up there with breathing.
We have the incredible privilege of friendship with God, not just an invitation to arrange for an audience with him at his pleasure. Rather, he came into our world and into our own presence as Jesus and then wondrously, as the Holy Spirit, he actually lives within us.
Reflecting on these verses I’m struck by how simple the formula is for a comfortable progressive relationship with the living God. It’s really all about what we know intuitively – living with honesty, love, justice, humility and an open spirit.
In our human relationships we are prone to look at what others have done to spoil our friendship. But if we are honest and look within ourselves it doesn’t take long to see our own contributions to these breaks. The culprits are often selfish acts, cruel words maybe not intended but given without thought, dishonesty and generally just not a big enough investment of our time and intentions.
Things that spoil our relationship with God most often come from a similar list. We crave that personal relationship with Christ and thrive when his Spirit is so evident within us at times of worship. But in everyday life we tend to treat him as the distant Creator who is there to bail us out when we get in trouble.
Friendship is active, and a passive approach will only bring us grief. When we are friends with God, he is engaged with us “all in,” so to speak.
Respond
Father, I am humbled and so thankful that you have looked beyond my faults and gone “all in” to bridge the gap to me when I’m so undeserving. Remind me, prompt me, renew me and help me to journey past my self-centred ways through to an intimate relationship with Christ.
Laurie Cook
Laurie has had a successful career in retail management and consulting. He has served on the Board of World Relief Canada and later became President. He was a founding Chair of the Integral Alliance, an international alliance of Christian Relief and Development agencies and has served on the Board of Canadian Council of Christian Charities. Laurie is an avid cyclist and is married with three adult boys.