The Gospels made it clear that Jesus had an inner circle of friends. Peter, James and John would gather with him when times were good (at the Mount of Transfiguration) and when times were bad (at the Garden of Gethsemane). This group of friends in no way takes away from the relationships that Jesus had with the other disciples and followers, but simply points to the fact that we as human beings need certain loved ones we can turn to when we are in desperate need of someone to lean on, vent to and share particular life moments with.
It is said that we are the average of our five best friends. So if that is so, what are the characteristics of your “inner circle” of friends that you have made a part of your own personality? Maybe it is a good listening ear, a heart for God’s Word, a welcoming nature, or a bringer of joy to any situation.
Christ should be at the heart of any Christian circle of friends. Think about ways in which Christ is made evident in your core group. Perhaps it is through prayer texts or times together at church or meals when grace is spoken. Ponder things that can make these friendships even more tied to Christ.
I think of the time on the cross when Jesus told John and his mother to care for one another. He built an inner circle there, and in that moment, the two of them became more than friends; they became family. The friends in my core group have taken to calling each other “frienily”—a melding of friends and family. That is what we are in Christ, after all, brothers and sisters in him and brothers and sisters to one another. And frienily does what a family does. They are there for one another, through thick and thin. Take a moment to thank God today for the family your friends have become for you through him.
