Who Hears A Horton?: May 2017

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
Proverbs 27:17

The Christian life is a journey. At times it gets difficult and we get lonely. Sometimes we may become discouraged and consider abandoning the journey. It is at such times that God will place a friend along side us. One of God's most precious gifts to us is friends who encourage us and lovingly challenge us to "keep going."

According to scripture, a friend is someone who challenges you to become all that God intends. Jonathan could have succeeded his father to become the next king of Israel. But he loved his friend David, and he encouraged him to follow God's will, even though it meant Jonathan would forfeit his own claim to the throne. (1 Samuel 19:1-7)

The mark of biblical friends is that their friendship draws you closer to Christ. They "sharpen" you and motivate you to do what is right. True friends tell you the truth and even risk hurting your feelings because they love you and have your best interests at heart. (Proverbs 27:6)

Be careful in your choice of friends! Jesus chose His closest friends wisely. He did not look for perfect friends, but friends whose hearts were set to follow God. It is equally important to examine the kind of friend you are to others. As a friend, it is your duty to put the needs of others first. (Proverbs 17:17) Strive to find godly friends who will challenge you to become the person God desires. When you have found them, be receptive to the way God uses them to help you become spirituality mature. Strive also to be the kind of friend that helps others to become more like Christ.

I've got some of the best friends anyone could ask for. They've been with me in good times and bad. They know some of the worst parts of my life and they still choose to stick around. They're always encouraging me and making me laugh. But even in the serious moments, they show such wisdom in their advice. Most importantly, they are always pointing me back to Christ. They might not even be aware of it at times, but I can see it in the way they live, they way they act, the way they speak, and the things they do for others.

I have asked for their help more times than I can count and somehow, each time I ask they do their best to help out. They have modeled for several photography projects, they have helped me when I got stuck on conceptual ideas for drawing projects, they have driven me to cookout, taken me hiking, taken me skating, they've been a part of my art class critiques, they've played ball with me, they've paid for my meals, tried to give me gas money, and even driven me home when I was unable to do so myself. They have included me in their "families," they have given me random gifts just because, they have made me a part of their small groups and bible studies, they have given me their numbers and told me to contact them if I ever need someone to talk to, they have helped me promote my artwork, they give me hugs, they make taking care of my own dishes a challenge, because they get to them before I even notice. They stay up late texting me when I'm struggling with something, they even threw me a surprise birthday party! They help me with secret projects that only I know what the purpose is until I reveal them, they drive me to table rock at night to watch meteor showers, they put up with my sass, they take all the crap I give them if their vehicle isn't a Ford, they listen to me talk about art and cars for hours, they hear me out no matter how awkward I am in making conversation.

My friends are kind, they are patient, they are loving, and in all that they do they point me back to Christ. I truly couldn't ask for better friends!!! I only hope I can be as good a friend to them as they are to me, and I hope that my life points them to Jesus.