REALSample

Step Out and Be a Friend

By Raul Cabrera

The sound of the doorbell rang at my grandmother’s house early one morning. It was our neighbor who was on her daily walk and had decided to stop by for a cup of coffee. The problem was, my grandmother was watching her “stories” (soap operas for those not familiar with the moniker). The year was 1989, I was 10 years old, and the DVR had not yet been invented. Though this was an unexpected visit, it was a welcomed one, because my grandmother always made friends a priority, even if it meant missing an episode of The Young and the Restless.

It was a different time back then, the world felt friendlier. Sometimes, I find it difficult to make friends in the times we live in today. But even in a world where face-to-face connections have been replaced by apps, snaps, and GIFs, we must make the effort to step out and be a friend.

In John 15:13, Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” In this verse, John uses the Greek word philos (fee-los) for “friends,” which means a trusted confidant, someone dearly prized in a personal way. This is someone who is more valuable than an acquaintance, a casual friend, or a colleague.

Jesus is a master at making philos friends. In Luke 5:1–11, before Jesus called the first disciples, He built a relationship with them. Simon and Andrew, who were expert fishermen, had not caught a single fish that day. In an effort to befriend them, Jesus took them fishing out in the deeper waters where they caught so much fish their boats began to sink.

The strategy was simple. To make friends with Simon and Andrew, Jesus did something with them that they liked to do. He went fishing with fishermen! Jesus was being a friend by making what they liked a priority.

Likewise, being a friend means laying down your life or sacrificing your time to do something with or for someone else that they like or enjoy. So, step out and go hunting with someone who likes to hunt or shop with someone who loves weekend flea markets. It’s not a waste of your time but a sacrifice of your time toward building philos friends—even if it means missing an episode of The Young and the Restless.

Prayer

Lord, I thank You for the people in my life, and I pray You help me discover ways to speak joy into their hearts, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Memory Verse

"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends." John 15:12–13