Be a Friend to the Lord

When I read Scripture, often I like to really picture the scene. 

Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and maybe it’s because I’m an artist, but I’m into imagining. I like to visualize these stories we read about in the Gospels. Take for instance Matthew chapter 20 where we picture Jesus and his disciples making that final trip up the road to Jerusalem. Jesus himself describes it when he says, beginning in Matthew 20:18; let me read it for you; it says, “We are going to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified.” 

Whoa! I mean, just picture that. Imagine that scene on that dirt road to Jerusalem. The Passover was in just a few days and the road must have been busy. Perhaps Jesus and his disciples had to step into a ditch while a camel caravan shuffled past. Then they continued on, yet no one noticed that Jesus’ pace seemed to be so slow. He was lagging behind a bit, and he was quiet, too. Finally, when the group rounded the top of the hill and caught sight of Jerusalem, Jesus stopped. Peter, John and the rest strolled a few yards ahead, but then they turned around. Something was wrong – definitely wrong. 

That’s when Jesus, staring straight ahead at the city lying before him, began to pour out his heart, telling his friends exactly what was about to happen to him when he passed through those city gates. He inasmuch said, “I am about to be betrayed by one of you, and I will be handed over to the priests who will condemn me to death, and then I will then be mocked and flogged and crucified.” Say what?! Crucified? I mean, the disciples wondered what in the world was he talking about. But that’s not all. Because look at what happened right after Jesus opened up his heart and shared these horrible things. The disciples – and you can read it for yourself in Matthew 20, just the next verse – the disciples right then and there not only ignored the Lord’s troubled words, but they began arguing amongst themselves. They completely disregarded what Jesus had said about this plot to kill him, and they started jockeying for positions in the coming kingdom. Two of them even dragged their mother into the argument. What was that all about?! 

You have to think that the Lord had hoped to be able at that point to lean on his friends at such a time. You have to think that he had hoped one of them – just one – would have asked about that plot or the betrayal or the coming crucifixion, or share some words of sympathy or empathy, or pray with him, or ask if they could help. No. Instead, Jesus found a bunch of squabbling men who only half listened. He found no friendly words, no sympathetic ears. 

This scene moves me so deeply, because it’s all about compassion and friendship. And the disciples were neither compassionate, nor did they act like real friends to Jesus. So what’s the lesson in this for us? Simply this: Our wonderful Savior covers his side of the friendship, but what about our side? What sort of friend does he have in you? Think of all the things friends share: heart-to-heart talks, the sacrifice of time, joys, sorrows. It is so easy for us to read Matthew chapter 20 and to criticize the behavior of those disciples, but are we any better? Today, friend, would you do what friends should do with one another? With the Lord Jesus have those heart-to-heart talks. Give him a sacrifice of your time. Open up your soul and offer him your joys. Tell him your sorrows. Today be a friend – a real friend to the Lord. It’ll be proof of your love for him and your friendship.

© Joni and Friends