BECOME a FRIEND to OTHERS!

Ron Bainbridge

Today’s Message of Encouragement from

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(Ron Bainbridge Editor) (February 6th, 2020)

BECOME a FRIEND to OTHERS!

Friends, when you stop to think about it, we can all probably be classified as healers or hurters. However, from my observation there are far too many hurters in the world today. Some people hurt others with guns and knives. Some hurt with words and put downs. Some make things better; some make matters worse. Lecturing about morality to a pregnant teenager is too late, but healing a lost, hurting girl can still be done.

The Good Samaritan story in Luke 10:25-37 is a case in point. I’m not sure we should call him the Good Samaritan. His behaviour ought to reflect the normal Samaritan. We should all play his role. As we read through this story, we find that Jesus was trying to explain how we should treat our neighbours. So he told about a mugging. A man was beaten, robbed, and left for dead beside the road. Three people happened along in succession. The first was a priest. That was fortunate…wasn’t it? Now you know a priest would help! But no! He didn’t want to get involved. It would probably make him late for an appointment. He might mess up his suit. So he crossed the street and passed the man by.

A Levite religious man was next. Perhaps he looked at his watch and just didn’t have time for this. It wasn’t his fault the man was in trouble. Besides, no one would know. So he too passed by.

And then a Samaritan came by. Remember that the Samaritans were on the bottom end of the social ladder. No one would help him if he were the one lying there. But he had pity on the man. He bandaged his wounds, put the injured man on his own donkey, and took him into town. In modern day terms, this Samaritan took the injured man to a hotel, registered him there for recovery, and put it all on his own credit card, saying, “If he needs to stay longer, just add it to my bill.” And Jesus said, “Go, and do likewise.”

The words of the apostle Paul to the Galatians in chapter 6, verses1-2, reinforce what Jesus said on that occasion. Paul wrote, “Brothers, even if a man is actually caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must try to reform him in a gentle spirit; look to yourselves, each one of you; you may be tempted too. Bear one another’s loads, and in this way you will fully obey the law of Christ.”

You know, “people who need other people are the luckiest people in the world.” So says a popular song. Well, we all need other people. Some admit it. Others leave the impression of being self-sufficient. But we all need other people. Sure, there are times when we need to be alone. But for most of us the times of greatest happiness and meaning are shared moments, moments when we feel someone’s heart beating with ours. On the other hand, nothing is much worse than the empty feeling of “not having a friend in the world,” and nothing much better than the joy of having a real friend.

“The antidote for fifty enemies,

is one good friend!”

Aristotle, (384-322 BC)

Of course, the best friend that you or I could ever have in our lives is Jesus Christ! Toward the end of His life, Jesus said, “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). And then He did just that --- He laid down His life for us, all of us ---

Poor,

Rich,

Uneducated,

All of us!

It was God’s way of saying to each of us, “I want to bridge the gap. I want reconciliation. I want you as a friend!”

In reality, the longing we have for friendship comes from God. He didn’t put that longing in us to be frustrated. He intended it to be fulfilled! And He initiated the fulfillment of this longing, by offering His personal friendship through Jesus Christ who said, “You are my friends if you do what I command you” (John 15:14). And one of His commands was, “If any man/woman would come after me, let him/her deny himself/herself and take up his/her cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24).

However, that’s only one side of the friendship. Look what Jesus offers us in return for our total commitment to Him. He said, “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for you souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

Many of life’s burdens are too heavy for us. But when Jesus takes hold, the burden becomes light enough to handle. Remarkably, Jesus offers to each of us His friendship, a friendship which makes every burden bearable!

Friend, if you would like to discover more about having a real friendship with Jesus, a friendship which is freely available to you, a friendship which never fails, I encourage you to write for a FREE copy of a small booklet titled “Need a Friend?”

To receive your complimentary copy, simply write to Discovering A BETTER LIFE, P.O. Box 1540, Albany, Western Australia 6331

If you prefer, you may Phone us on: 98 418 418, or Email us at: abl-alb@omninet.net.au

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