Last Spring, I watched the grass begin to grow in my yard, but there was a problem. I did not have a mower. During this same time, my wife and I were participating in a Christian money management course at our church and we had made the commitment not to go further into debt. So, while my heart rate would increase whenever I walked by a zero-turn mower in a store, I was determined not to make a major purchase that would stress my budget. I shared my predicament with a friend and, within a few days, he freely gave me a used riding mower. While the mower was not zero-turn, the zero cost was right in my budget. But, most importantly, this he act of generosity revealed I had a true friend.
Jesus was a true friend to many different types of people. While his critics did not appreciate his buddies that much, he intentionally invested his time other men (Read Matthew 11:18-19).
Jesus was identified as a “friend of…sinners (Matt. 11:19).” Why? Well, he was hanging out with guys who most religious people avoided. He ate with them, laughed with them, and literally showed them the love of God. Jesus gave his friends something better than a mower. He gave them time and care. This truth was voiced by Jesus when he said, “Wisdom is vindicated by her actions (Matthew 11:19, HCSB).” In other words, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
More than just hanging out with other men, Jesus spoke Godly truths to them (Read John 15:15). He called them “friends.” He once said, “Everything that I learned from my Father I have made know to you.” Today, we label this type of disclosure as transparent. He was not acting like someone he was not. He was honest. He was a true friend. Are you?
