A Friend Closer Than A Brother
“I don’t have any friends!” Sometimes I hear that from people. I even hear myself say it from time to time. As humans we crave that one person who understands us, supports us, and even accepts us.
In todays’ world many turn to social media to build friendships. They count the number of “friends” or “followers” they have and think they have friends. But do they? A recent survey of over 50,000 young people ages 16-24 revealed that they experience loneliness at the same level the elderly generation do! Contrary to what many may think, social media is not meeting the needs of friendship. As a matter of fact, it is more than likely making the loneliness worse.
Social media has caused us to have less communication with others. Have you ever sat in an office waiting room or a restaurant and took a moment to look around at the people? You will see couples sitting directly across from each other … but no communication because both have their faces in their devices. You will see young people with their fingers vigorously typing… instead of paying attention to others around them. One day while swimming I watched a little boy trying to jump in the public pool desperately calling for his mother to watch him, but she was too busy on her phone. I am certain that little boy was feeling lonely and left out.
Social media has also caused people not to know the “real person” inside. They only see what is allowed on the social media page, or the pictures that were taken a dozen times before the perfect one was achieved, edited, and finally posted. They only read what is typed out, but certainly not how someone really feels inside. It’s impossible to use social media and still get to the real heart inside of the person.
We won’t even go into the devastation that the Covid-19 pandemic caused — the extreme lack of socialization seemed to especially affect our young people and teens.
The fact of the matter is that we all have an inner desire to be loved and accepted. After all “love is what makes the world go round,” right? We have a God-given need and desire inside of us for love and companionship. However, even the best of Christian friends can let us down. Maybe it is a word they said or even something they didn’t say. Maybe it is how they just don’t quite understand you or maybe you don’t really have as much in common as you once did. For whatever reason, friends can and do many times let us down and we then experience deep hurt.
What I want to share with you today is that when we turn to other people for the needs that God put inside of us…. we will ALWAYS be left down. That desire for love and acceptance, that yearning for more of something that is never quite quenched…. That is from God, He placed it in you, and only He can fill it.
The Bible tells us in Proverbs 18:24 that “a person of too many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Who is this friend who sticks closer than a brother? It is JESUS. Jesus loves you so much that He laid down His life for you. John 15:13 says “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends”. To be honest, I can’t think of too many humans that would die for me and remember Jesus did this knowing the kind of person I would be, and knowing I wasn’t going to be anything even close to perfect. He laid down his life for me knowing every flaw and every failure that I would ever have, knowing that I would mess up over and over again and sometimes really serious mess ups too. He still laid down His life for me because He loves me that much and … He loves you that much too.
The real honest truth is that we will never have a friend like Jesus. As long as we turn to human beings for love and acceptance, we will always be let down. I personally no longer worry about not having a close friend, because Jesus fills that void for me. I don’t spend time looking for friends or yearning for them. They could never compare to Jesus! He is my best friend and He understands me inside and out. He loves me even when I am unlovable. He stays with me even when I’m not fun to be around. He listens to me and never gets tired of the things I tell him.
No amount of friendship with any human being will ever satisfy your needs and desires …. Only relationship with Jesus will. He can be your best friend. He can make the emptiness that you feel be full and complete in His love. Turn to Him today and allow Him to show you how much you mean to Him!!