When we are new in community, we always look for
friendship. It just make sense, God is present in our relationships and most of
the time He makes His presence felt through this relationships.
The more we grow in our relationship with God the more
we come into consciousness that friendship is but a step towards a more
complete relationship with God. When we grow more in relationship with God the
more we view friendships as secondary to God.
Our friendships are to be anchored at the foot of Christ.
Meaning, when friendships blur our purpose of renewal in Christ, when friendships
distracts our relationship with God, when friend/s becomes our focus instead of
God in the friendship, then we are actually putting our growth in Christ in
jeopardy and our real friendship into question. There can never be real friendship
apart from Christ. Christ has to be the center and ultimate focus of
friendship. Without Him, friends end up users. In friendships He increase, our
human friendships decrease.
Never be deceive of friendships that seems to be going
stronger because it may in fact already leading you to another road. It can
only be strong in Christ. Friendships in Christ does not gloss over mistakes; it
speaks the truth with love. It seeks the goodness of the other and points the
other to Christ.
So friends, let us all anchor our friendships, in
Christ. Beyond our human friendships is our friendship with God.