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Verse:“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” —John 13:34
Friends make life worth living. Popular speaker and author Steve Maraboli suggested, “Friends are medicine for a wounded heart and vitamins for a hopeful soul.” A popular proverb (frequently attributed to the ancient Greek dramatist Euripides) says, “Friends show their love in times of trouble, not in happiness.” In other words, they remain at our side when everyone else disappears. In 2011, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed July 30 as the International Day of Friendship.
The decision was based on “the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures, and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.”57 Friendship is also one of the most powerful tools for leading people to Christ. The cover article of Ministry magazine for December 1977 is entitled, “Why Not Use the Net Too?”58 In that article, Clark B. McCall, pastor of the Herman, California, Seventh-day Adventist Church at the time, told of his successful “kindness-call” program, inspired by Ellen White’s statement, “If we would humble ourselves before God, and be kind and courteous and tenderhearted and pitiful, there would be one hundred conversions to the truth where now there is only one.”59 McCall asked his church members to offer a weekly volunteer kindness service. The list of services included making phone calls, babysitting, providing transportation and assistance with housework, and making general visits. This friendship approach gradually wore down the wall of prejudice and resulted in several Bible studies. McCall explained that using this approach, one of his churches experienced a huge increase in baptisms over the previous year.
If they are to bear fruit, friendship and goodness must be intentional.
We are told that Christ “mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, ‘Follow Me.’” Try using friendship evangelism as a regular strategy to bring people to Christ. Pray for someone you would like to reach through this pleasant and effective strategy.