To Serve & Protectنموونە

5. To Serve Your Comrades

“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command.” – John 15:13-14 (NLT)

Have you ever thought of Jesus as your friend? It’s not too difficult to imagine Him being our friend. But on the flipside, have you ever thought of yourself as His friend?

Friendship is a two-way street. And if Jesus told His disciples – and everyone of His future followers – that He was laying down His life for them as friends, then He also invited all His followers to be a friend to Him.

But what is a friend to Christ then? It is someone who obeys His command to love others as well. Therefore, the better friend you are to those around you, the better friend you will be to Jesus.

And when we look specifically at our reading from Philippians today, we see exactly what attitude Christ had when it came to being of service to His friends. To His followers. To all of us.

Obviously though, your true friendship might not be for everyone. For as we already said, friendship is a two-way street. And true friendship among men – the kind of friendship that becomes a brotherhood – is truly a rare thing. But when you find those men, those confidants, those comrades in Christ who stick closer than a brother, then it must be a two-way street!

Your true friends are your comrades to serve with, but also your comrades to be served by you. Friendliness is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, meaning that we should be friendly to all others. But friendship is a costly treasure that needs to be protected. And like a support vehicle on a long journey, it needs to be serviced often.

As such, true friendship among men is hard to find. But it is also worth taking the hard way to find it. If you want a true friend, a comrade in Christ that sticks closer than a brother, then be a friend who is ready to be of service. If you want to unearth a true brother, then serve like a true brother yourself.

Yet, be alert and discerning, for although you are to be of service to everyone, especially your friends, they must also step up into your corner. Even Jesus knew not to entrust Himself to just about anyone, although He was of service to absolutely everyone (John 2:24-25). He remained discerning and decisive.

So, be of service to Christ and serve others as Christ would too. Be a true friend of Jesus, be a friend to other men. And in doing so find your true friends, your comrades in Christ.

But start by being of service. Being discerning. Being a brother. Lay your life down.

Not by taking the bullet for your brothers, but by biting the bullet for your brothers.

Let’s keep taking the hard way, for only true comrades will stay next to you all the way!

Read Philippians 2:1-11 and Reflect on the following…

• What do you observe about Jesus’ friendship to men from today’s reading?
• How can you be of service to your friends on a regular basis?
• Where can you find, and how can you discern, your true comrades in life?
• Who and what do you need to pray for today?