Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 12:8-10
My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9
Matt thinks he’s the world’s greatest friend. Got a problem? He’s full of advice. Looking for help? He’ll lend you a hand-whether you want him to or not. Do you have a need? He’ll fill it-even if he isn’t sure what it is.
Matt really wants to be an available friend. But he’s totally missed the first step. He needs to understand that he is totally, utterly, completely clueless about how to be that kind of friend.
Maybe you figure your friendship know-how can’t possibly be as poor as Mart’s. Maybe you think you don’t need God’s help to be a top-notch friend. That’s what these kids thought:
Michelle’s head was always jam-packed with her own interests-so she had a hard time noticing when others needed help. Her first step to being an available friend was admitting that she didn’t have the power to always be a concerned friend to people who were struggling. She’s depending on Christ so she can be more caring like him.
Nick thought what other people had to say was boring-so when others finished a sentence, he couldn’t even remember what they were talking about. His first step to being an available friend was admitting that he didn’t have the strength to always be a good listener. He’s depending on Christ so he can be a better listener like him.
Natalie told other people’s secrets—so others often suffered as a result of her blabbermouth. Her first step to being an available friend was admitting that she didn’t have what it takes to always keep to herself what her friends shared. She’s depending on Christ so she can be a safe friend like him.
The secret to being a good friend is admitting that without help from Jesus, you don’t have the power to be a friend like him. That truth isn’t meant to make you feel bad but to remind you to depend on Christ for the strength to be an available friend.
You can be more like Jesus—a better, more loving friend to others. But that only happens with his help! Tell Jesus how you want to grow as a friend. And trust that the Holy Spirit will be God’s power source, living and working inside you to make you more Christlike.
TALK: Why do you need God’s help to be an available friend?
PRAY: God, help us to be better friends and keep growing at that skill—now and always.
ACT: What’s the biggest area where you need to depend on Jesus so you can be a friend like him? Ask a family member or Christian friend to speak up when you act in a way that is less than Christlike.
