When Friendship Starts With You
Well now, come on up here on this ol’ front porch, friend, and rest your weary bones for a lil’ ol’ spell before life goes gallopin’ off like an ol’ onery mule that spotted an open gate. Seems like a heap of folks are lonely these days, standin’ around at church or at some gatherin’ like a confused lil’ ol’ squirrel at a bird feeder, wonderin’ why nobody’s scooted over and made room.
But Jesus gives us a mighty important truth in Luke 6:38, which says, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap.” What you give has a way of coming back around. Yes, that sho’-nuff’ applies to money, but it also plum reaches right into friendship, kindness, encouragement, and love. If you need a friend, you gotta start by bein’ one first.
A whole lot of us plum wait to be noticed. We plant ourselves in a corner and hope somebody comes over shinin’ like a lil’ ol’ social butterfly at a picnic. Then, when nobody does, we go home more discouraged than an ol’ rooster crowin’ in a rainstorm. But friendship usually grows when somebody decides to make the first move.
That is why Proverbs 18:24 says, “A man who has friends must himself be friendly.” And Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 reminds us that two are better than one because when one falls, the other can help him up. God downright made us for connection, not for lonely little islands of self-protection.
Now, does reachin- out always work the first time? No indeed, it sho’-nuff’ don’t. Sometimes you offer kindness and plum get awkward silence back. Sometimes you extend warmth and plum trip over somebody’s emotional rug. But don’t let one cold response make your heart shut tighter than a pickle jar lid at a family reunion.
Lord, make me the kind of friend that reflects Your heart. Help me stop waiting to be noticed and start noticing others. Give me courage to reach out, kindness to encourage, and grace to keep loving even when it feels risky. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Now, head right on into your day, friend, and don’t be waitin’ around like a porch swing hopin’ somebody else gives the first push. Go smile first. Go speak first. Go love first. A lil’ ol’ firefly don’t light up the whole woods at once, but it sho’-nuff’ still shines, and that little glimmer can plum help somebody else find the path home.
With joy,
Gwen
