Friends
C.S. Lewis (he’s the guy who wrote The Chronicles of Narnia) had a wonderful quote about friendship:
“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.’”
The start of a new school year can bring with it a lot of moments like that—with new friends and old ones.
A kid you’ve never seen before could sit down next you on the school bus, and you realize you have the exact same Pokemon backpack—so you start chatting.
Your partner on the first day of P.E. might be someone you’ve known since you were babies, but you just start to realize how fun she is.
Or maybe you find yourself on the playground at recess with the same kids you hung out with last year, playing the same old games and having a fantastic time.
No matter how a friendship starts, and no matter how long you’ve had it, it’s important to remember this: friends are a gift! They’re like bonus family members that God puts into our lives to love and to be loved by. He gives us to each other to take care of each other.
Proverbs 27:17 (CEB) says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens a friend.”
Think about that image: an iron blade—maybe an ax or a sword—scraping against an iron stone, making the blade sharper and better able to do its job. These words from Proverbs are great to keep in mind when you think about friendship because it reminds us that God gives us friends to help us be better versions of ourselves as we move around in the world.
Is friendship always easy? No, I’m sorry to say. Iron smashing against iron is probably pretty loud and leads to some bumps and scrapes. Friendships go through the same thing; they grow and change all the time, in ways that feel good and…not so good.
Sometimes those changes happen just because you and your friends are growing up. And sometimes they change because sin works its way into all relationships—even relationships between kids. Friends get jealous of other friends. People say hurtful things to you or untrue things about you. You might even do the same thing to someone else one day.
As you start this new school year—as you make new friends, and as your current friendships grow and change—remember those words from Proverbs. Remember that your friends are there to help you, and you’re there to help them.
And when things get hard and feelings get hurt (because they will) think about what Paul said in his letter to the Colossians:
“You are God’s chosen people. You are holy and dearly loved. So put on tender mercy and kindness as if they were your clothes. Don’t be proud. Be gentle and patient. Put up with one another. Forgive one another if you are holding something against someone. Forgive, just as the Lord forgave you. And over all these good things put on love. Love holds them all together perfectly as if they were one. Let the peace that Christ gives rule in your hearts. As parts of one body, you were appointed to live in peace. And be thankful.” (Colossians 3:12-15, NIRV)
SAMPLE PRAYER:
God, thank you for the friends you’ve brought into my life. Show me how to love them well. Help us take care of each other. Help us help each other remember who Jesus is and all he has done for us. And when friends feel far away, help me remember what a friend I have in Jesus. I ask all of this in his name. Amen.