BEST FRIEND

Can you honestly say that Jesus Christ is your best friend?
What goes into a best friend? Here are a few things that come to mind. When I think of a best friend, I think of someone that I:

1. Like the most of all other friends.
   
2. Spend the most time with in relation to other friends.
   
3. Have the most in common.
   
4. Enjoy the company the most; not get tired of being with that person.
   
5. Am completely open and transparent regarding my life and what is really going on; I’m completely vulnerable.
   
6. Totally trust this person to keep a confidence and not betray me.
   
7. Am willing to do more for that person than anyone else.
   
   
   

I am sure you can come up with more criteria.


The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a best friend as 1: a person's closest and dearest friend; 2: a person's most desirable or valuable possession or resource.


Notice that sometimes, a person’s best friend is not actually human. It can be a pet, or a thing. Sad as that may be, it is reality. As ministry and marketplace leaders, we need to take a hard look at who or what is truly our best friend. Some candidates for this position, other than Jesus Christ, are:

• Spouse
  
• Children or parents
  
• Job or kind of work
  
• Title and role (Pastor, CEO, etc.)
  
  
  

I often hear: “My spouse is my best friend.” Well, Jesus had something to say about that. “What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not ...” (1 Corinthians 7:29, NIV)


The second most common condition I see from the most well-intentioned Christ-followers is that children or parents are the most cherished relationships. Christ also has something to say about that. “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife[a] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” (Matthew 19:29)


The point is that anyone or anything that we put ahead of Christ is misplacing our priorities. Our best friend needs to be Jesus Christ. And, if that is not the case, then we need to take corrective action to bring our priorities back into right order.


I acknowledged Jesus was my best friend in my quiet time today before writing this blog post. I can honestly say He is the one I trust the most, who I know will never leave me, and who I can be totally open with. He gets me. I believe the same “best friend” relationship is available for all Christ-followers. We just have to put our priorities in order and spend enough time with Jesus Christ on a daily basis so that a true “best friend” relationship can evolve.


For me, I cannot have a friendship with Christ and spend less than one hour per day in that endeavor. I used to have either no quiet times or short 15- to 30-minute quiet times, and they did not really work to build a deep friendship with Christ. To experience the friendship part, I find that there is no substitute for time. And, it needs to be a conversation. Not just one-way prayer. I need to listen to what Christ is saying.


In order to hear Christ, I must spend time with Him. Quick prayers here and there do not cut it. And treating God as Santa Claus or a magic genie doesn’t either. Christ is more real than this world that I see. And a deep, intimate, fulfilling “best friends-type” friendship awaits anyone who will spend time with Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior.


May you discover Christ as your very best friend, or if that is already the case, may you help others to discover that for themselves. Amen.


Your aspiring servant, Daniel M.
November 24, 2023
POSTSCRIPT: Dear friends, if this daily, transparent “Conversations with Christ” blesses you, please go to www.SOLIDpastors.org, where you will find these posted, and a repository of all, in English and Spanish. If you ever want to chat, you can reach me at [email protected]. May Christ bless you richly as you have your own intimate, daily conversations with Christ.