FRIENDS

046 – JUNE 2007

FRIENDS

Have you ever been hurt by an enemy?
Have you ever been hurt by a friend?
What a difference in the “hurtometer”!

Ps 55:12 “For it is not an enemy who reproaches me, Then I could bear it;
Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me, …
13 But it is you, a man my equal. My companion and my familiar friend;
14 We who had sweet fellowship together …”

Just recently, I was deeply hurt by a friend. Quite simply, this person did something that I never have done to a friend. It cut deeply and I shed tears of anguish over the incident. In this ill fated deed, this friend broke the bond of loyalty* and actually joined the “other side”. This person knowingly and willingly entered the enemies’ camp and joined their forces to knife me in the back. (The easiest target is there.)

This happened over a month ago. I have been working through this “hurt” thing and have come out the other end with some growing up. Here’s what I have discovered –
They asked Peter if he was Jesus” friend. Peter responded that he didn’t know him.
Mt 26:71 “When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 And again he denied it with an oath, “I do no know the man.”

Ouch! 3 times!!! With an oath! That must have hurt Jesus. It must have cut deeply.
Yet Jesus understood. Jesus understood his weakness. Jesus understands our weaknesses.
He understands. He forgives us. And, he still calls us friends. (John 15:15)

I need to understand also. I may not have done exactly what this friend did to me but I know that I am very capable of messing up and coming short of the loyalty* that friendship hopes for.
John 8:7 “ … If any one of you is without sin,
Let him be the first to throw a stone …”

So, who am I to get all upset at the very thing that I am so capable of doing. I must
take the Jesus high road! He is gracious to me. A lot of people are gracious to me. So how can I do less? I’ll understand. I’ll forgive! And, I will still call them friend.

Honestly – Does it still hurt? Yep!! But what else can you do? Think about it!


*I took a poll!
Question: “What is the most important thing that you look for in a friend?
Answer: The #1 answer, overwhelming, was … loyalty.