Human beings were originally created to love, and this quality of the soul is embedded in every person’s nature. Unfortunately, sin has distorted this quality, and what we have today does not always correspond to the original plan.
Upbringing in the family and at school, the distinctive features of the local culture, and the media all influence the development of the mind and shape a person’s character. What is established in childhood sometimes accompanies me into old age.
Everyone understands friendship differently, and most often, this understanding is shaped by public opinion. That opinion erects high barriers in my mind that I do not dare cross. If I have been convinced that friendship in a certain form is impossible, I will not attempt to change this belief but will shape my relationships within the boundaries of that understanding.
Friendliness destroys many traditional ideas about friendship. When God gives me this gift, He also gives me wisdom to manage it while preserving relationships in purity, love, and holiness. I must reconsider many established ideas about friendship and introduce new rules. But if I continue living within the old boundaries, those walls will surround me. Eventually, my growth will stop because I will be unable to overcome what I have declared impossible for myself.
Today, we have the internet and mobile communication. This is a major breakthrough in human history and an innovation that must be taken into account.
Some people continue living in the old way and do not want to change anything in their lives because they have chosen to retain the simplicity of their approach to life. This should be respected. There are many opinions about the influence of these innovations upon the individual. We will not focus upon that issue here, but this diversity must be considered and accepted. When we accept these discoveries, we should use the new possibilities that do not fit within the old culture. When young and elderly people come together, they do not understand one another, and a conflict between generations arises.
Through the internet and its possibilities, a person can very quickly study any field of knowledge and can become well known, famous, or wealthy. He can create his own community and gather like-minded people from around the world. He can start his own church and preach through it to the entire world.
A person can also gain new friends and build friendships with them without ever meeting face to face. We should accept these distinctive features of our time and use them for God’s glory. In doing so, we need help and wisdom from above.
God understands the internet very well and knows how it can be used for good, including to gain friends through it.
But we must also recognize that the concept of friendship on social media is very vague. For example, I have more than one thousand Facebook friends, many of whom I do not know at all. Yet they are labeled as friends, and my daughter believes that I maintain relationships with all of them and therefore becomes jealous of them. As a friendly person, I would not object to becoming better acquainted with each of them and personally loving that individual.
This raises the question: where can I find time for all my friends? I want to answer according to my understanding.
How many friends will I have in Eternity? I believe the number will include all the redeemed, all the holy Angels, and representatives of other planets. Together, they will form an impressive group. My goal is to know all of them more closely and deeply.
Let us imagine that there will be about one billion of them. I will need to give each one sufficient time, enter into the essence of his soul, and discover a new planet. This will require definite effort on my part and a tremendous amount of time. I will also need an excellent memory and profound thought processes to absorb everything I learn. I cannot do without God. I hope for a miracle within my mind that will enable me to be everywhere with everyone at the same time, retain everything in my memory, and develop endlessly.
God will give me this capacity of perception and will continually renew and perfect it.
My Eternal life has already begun through faith in Jesus Christ. I am already living by the laws of Heaven written in the Bible. I strive to understand the essence of the union between what is earthly and what is Heavenly.
My understanding of friendship has changed, but it now suffers no loss. I do not lose friends even when they are very numerous. I become attached to them with all my heart and take note of all their distinctive qualities so that I can build relationships while avoiding “sharp corners” and showing tact and love. Without God, this is impossible, but with Him, everything is possible. He gives me these relationships and arranges matters so that whenever possible, they are mutual and do not descend upon me all at once.
When I am overloaded beyond my strength, the Lord waits for me to give these cares to Him. He gladly takes everything I cast upon Him.
The presence of Christ is necessary in every relationship and every friendship. Otherwise, it will be an emotional, earthly, fleshly undertaking that will someday collapse and bring much suffering. In Christ, every friendship gains a special status and meaning. It is no longer merely an earthly decision but something that binds us with eternal ties—unconditionally and forever.
A friend is like a child. At one time, he was not part of my plans, but through my deep knowledge of God and my relationship with Him, a person called a new friend appeared in my life. He was not present before, but now he exists, and he is an inheritance from the Lord. All children are different, and no two friends are identical.
Of course, I also have my own character and distinctive qualities. Therefore, I do not claim to possess the most correct understanding of truth. Jesus is the Truth, and within Him lies the meaning of eternal development and progress.
We should not fear the new opportunities available today for gaining true friends, but we ourselves must also become genuine. Once again, we come to Christ. Without Him, this is impossible, but I can do all things through Jesus, Who strengthens me.
If I establish boundaries in my mind concerning my understanding of friendship, God will work within those boundaries of my perception and bless me in small things if I allow Him. If I go farther and enter more deeply, He goes with me and opens new possibilities.
Friendship is a boundless ocean of knowledge and development that each of us should discover and expand. It has no boundaries. It extends into Eternity so that there it may always develop and amaze us with endless discoveries. But to know what is eternal, we need a union with the Eternal God. Otherwise, everything will be limited by earthly boundaries and interests. God makes all things new. He greatly enjoys rebuilding the ruins of my shattered stereotypes according to His Eternal standard.
Now the Lord is opening unique possibilities for discovering love and friendship. Yet these fields of knowledge should be studied and developed in one’s personal life. Jesus will teach and guide in this direction everyone who chooses this path.
My friends are also those who will support me during difficult times. In answer to their prayers, God will perform miracles in my life, and in answer to my prayers, He will perform miracles in the lives of my friends.
We should not fear the distinctive features of our time but should use them wisely for God’s glory.
The Lord will give us wisdom to know how best to do this and accomplish it.
Bible Verses for Reflection
Psalm 111:10; 119:113; 127:3; Isaiah 58:12; 60:3; 2:3; Romans 12:2, 10, 13.