Yes I would certainly say I had friends of iron that put a smile on my face. Friends whose hearts so love the Lord they cannot help but overflow with HIM. Here is a scripture look…
“Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” Proverbs 27:17
So therefore I truly believe my friends are iron, spiritual iron from the greatest friend of all our beloved Lord Jesus Christ.
How to Find Such Friends?
If you desire to have such friends that would sharpen your countenance for the glory of God then first things first…you must show yourself friendly (see Proverbs 18:24).
Sure, it is nice that there are friendly people out there, but to really make them your friends you must shew yourself friendly. But you say you are shy or walled up. Well, I have this personal saying, “You see what you want to see. You hear what you want to hear and ultimately you do what you want to do.”
Don’t blame your shyness or that you wall yourself up so others don’t see the real you. But if your longing is to have true friends then as Shakespeare says in Hemlet, “To thine own self be true.”
Do a real heart search before the Lord. Is it true you want friends? Or is there some underlying fear keeping you from being friendly?
No Greater Love of a Friend
Yes, it may be difficult for you to get over your shyness or to open a welcome door in the wall you highly erected but there is hope.
Your hope is found in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the example of a wonderful friend. But being an example is not all. Jesus desires that you allow Him to be that friend to others. Now the challenge of allowing Jesus to be that friend in you to others is that you become a total sacrifice of friendship love.
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
That means the reason for your being friendly to others is just that, you are laying your life down for them because that is the kind of friend Jesus will be in and through you.
Reasonable Friendship
Yes, to the flesh, laying down your life for your friends, may bring a lot of questions like:
- “What if my friend betrayed me?”
- “What if my friend broke our trust?”
- “What if my friend hates me now?”
- “What do I do then?”
Well you simply be friendly with all the love that can only be Christ’s love.
Do you find this impossible?
Well good, because when you analyze it in the flesh it is completely impossible and might I add, extremely disappointing and painful. (See Bewildered Child of God).
“But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
When Jesus is the friendly one towards others through you, nothing is impossible my friend. Giving your all for your friends, a sacrifice, is your reasonable service.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1
When you allow the Lord to be that friend to those who have hurt you, then you grow to understand sacrificial love; for that is how our Lord loved you. Jesus loved you even before you desired him as a friend, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
The Choice is Theirs
Just like our Lord sacrificing all for you, you can sacrifice all for your friends but remember the choice is theirs to respond.
And regardless of their response draw nearer to Jesus your friend. He will grow your love even more. He who was rejected and abandoned by His friends knows how you feel. Pour your heart and hurts on him.
You know it is alright to say, “It hurts so very much Lord!”
Yes, “to thine own self be true,” but please, be true with your Lord who longs to bring God’s healing power in your life. To make you a friend in the lives of others who will make your current pain seem so insignificant in eternity. There, in the presence of Jesus, you will behold the friends our Lord will surround you with.
The choice is theirs and so it is with you in order to be blessed by friends.
“A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24
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