GRANNY'S WINDOW

Jesus reduced the Ten Commandments into two: love the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind and to love one-another. Jesus, in John 14, also states that “as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” So, this love, which is an action verb not a noun, is a sign of you being a Christian. Actually, John, in 1 John 4:7-11, states that if we don’t have this love we don’t know God. This loving one-another is therefore a basic Christian characteristic. So, how do we do it? Ephesians 5 tells us “to be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” The last part of this is referring to the sacrifices made in the OT of burnt offerings and how the smoke of these went up in the air symbolizing the sacrifice to God which He was pleased. So, we are to love as Christ loved. Well, how was that? I love example given in John 13 of Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet. Remember they were arguing over who was the greatest and Jesus got up and started washing their feet. Then, told them if He, which was their Lord, was washing their feet, what should they be doing? Jesus was a great servant leader. Loving as He loves involves one-anothering to the point of remembering that He loved us so much He willingly died for us. To love like Him is to love like a true friend. Not many know what a true friend is, but Christ defines it as this: “One who is willing to lay down his life for his friend.” We can only get to this concept with fully understanding Gal. 2:20 = this life I live is His. We are called to this sacrificial life in Rom. 12:1:

“I beseech you therefore, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

(It is what we ought to do!)

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

So, there are no alternative motives behind a true friend’s actions. If one is a true friend, one doesn’t give advice or manipulate another for their own benefit. They advise and encourage another to be more like Him. They do not have a critical or judgmental attitude, but an encouraging, uplifting attitude that is thankful for everyone’s blessings. AND even if they do not know the answer, they are always pointing to Christ.

I got a firsthand view of a true friend, when I was diagnosed with cancer. She was a picture of His love. The song “He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother,” by the Hollies, comes to my mind. As in Gal. 6:2:

“Bear ye one another’s burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ.”

Karen Collins did not have cancer, but she shared my pain of cancer and therefore, she helped me bear my burden. Karen would call and check on me or just show up with food. She cooked us so many meals there is no way to repay. I remember one day after having a chemo treatment and Karen was visiting with me, we could hear my mother telling Daryl that she needed some Tide and a mop. Karen left and it wasn’t long she showed up with Tide and a mop. We live 20 miles from town. That was/is Karen. She volunteered to take me to the doctor so Daryl could work some, even when I couldn’t remember where the office was. She offered to shave her own head when my hair fell out! She, and her husband Dean, went out of their way to show us they cared. They became “closer than a brother” (referenced below).

Karen wasn’t one who used that seven word phrase and disappeared. You know:

“You call me if you need anything”. This is actually putting another burden upon the one who is burden.

Instead, when she saw something that needed to be done, she was on it.

I learned what a true friend was and it inspired me to be a true friend. One who wants to help another be all they can be to glorify God. You know, Karen and Dean encouraged me to get my seminary education. They taught me how to do on-line classes way back then. What a blessing they have been. I’m so thankful Karen allowed God to use her to encourage me and my family. I know Daryl is. There is no way a Godly husband would not want his wife to have a true friend. One who is always encouraging the other to do what is right in God’s eyes. One of Karen’s favorite lines, even before Huckabee wrote a book with it, is “Just Do What Is Right.” She would never let me complain about Daryl. She would just hold up her hand and say it sounds like I need to talk with Daryl.

I do believe to see a true friend, you have to be a true friend.

“A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Prov. 18:24

As a church body, brothers in Christ, we need to operate as true friends. Loving and caring for one another. True friends build Godly relationships. Karen and I built a bond “in Christ.” It doesn’t matter how long it has been, if I see or hear from her it is that same wonderful sweet spirit. She’s not wondering if I’m talking about her or mad at her, she knows I’m not. If I need her just let her know, she’s coming. The same is true if she calls me, she knows I’ll come. Think how great it would be for a church body to operate as true friends and what we are missing if we don’t.

My window of opportunity gave me a look at a true friend.

God’s gift of a sister-in-Christ.