Intentional Friendship

Photo credit: www.gentlecarechironorwest.com.au

We come to the final element of our study on “Walking as Jesus Walked.” It is perhaps the one element that actually surprised me as to its significance. However, once I worked through Dann Spader’s book, it was plainly evident it’s criticality to Jesus’ life and ministry.

This final element is my weakest one in practice, but more significantly, in my desire for it.

“The remarkable thing about Jesus was that relationships were His strategy”1

Jesus was very intentional about building and developing relationships. I’d encourage you to spend some time looking at His commitment to the disciples. 

“Though He did what He could to help the multitudes, He had to devote Himself primarily to a few men, rather than the masses, in order that the masses could at last be saved.”2

I’ve always enjoyed my own company. My school years were spent doing typical kids social activities centred around school and sport. However, I always enjoyed retiring to my room and doing my own thing. I used to create my own soccer and cricket competitions with their own teams and players. I could while away hours and hours immersed in my own fantasy leagues. It’s funny now how fantasy leagues are now such a big business in all sports. But even though I spent so much of my youth doing it, I haven’t ventured into any of these structured programs.

Being a twin brother, I always had my best friend handy. We had a group of friends that we did life with during high school.

That all changed once we went off to separate universities and then onto new careers. The school friends, as is fairly typical, headed down separate roads. Periodically, our lives would intersect. But my career grabbed my heart and soul as well as my friendships.

I lost the desire for deep friendship. Such depth can only come about through intentionality.

I love that word. Intentionality.

It’s a great mantra for life. Those people, who typically get ahead in anything, live intentional lives. Jesus, by His own example, demonstrates that to develop true intimacy with Him, we must choose to be intentional:

– In depending on the Holy Spirit as we journey through each day.

– In our prayer life.

– In reading the Word.

– In our obedience.

– In exalting the Father.

– And in fostering life-changing friendships.

I think Jesus would love it if we all had a Peter, James and John. Four best mates who know everything about each other: fears, hopes, and dreams. Where the light shines brightly illuminating any secrets that begin to take root.

That’s my wish. And my prayer.

Do you have a Peter, James and/or John in your life? If so, I’d love it if you were able to share a little about what intentional steps you took to establish such friendships.

Holy Spirit POWER

This ends our “Heart” series. We started out exploring how we can give “Everything” to the Father, using Jesus as our example by way of Dann Spader’s excellent study “ Walking as Jesus Walked.”

Do you recall the Holy Spirit POWER acronym?  I hope you do. If not, the list of 6 intentional items above is the answer.

My prayer for us all is that we would live each day intentionally aware of Jesus Presence.

Many blessings.

Notes: 1. “Walking as Jesus Walked” Dann Spader, Moody Publishers 2011, p136; 2. Ibid p,136 quoting Robert Coleman.

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