Word for Word 3/15/17

Proverbs 18:24 …a true friend sticks closer than one’s nearest kin.

Have you noticed the different kinds of people who come into our lives? Some people come into our life for a reason. Doctors, nurses and other health professionals wait upon our every need when we are in the hospital for an illness or disease. Patrolmen, lawyers, and people in the court system help us through a difficult time in our lives. Waitresses, clerks and other store personnel help us find what we need. These people come into our lives for a specific reason, to help, to give advice, to serve.

Some people come into our life for a season. Pastors, professors, teachers, and leaders - all these people have influence upon us for a period of time. Mentors provide the training to excel in our fields of study; coaches provide the insight to grow in our athletic activities. Many of our high school friends are there for just that period of our lives. These people grow close to us, but eventually their friendship dissolves, because they are part of our lives for just a season.   

Finally there are people who come into our lives for a lifetime. Your family will always be there when you need them. Friends gained later in life, often become lifetime friends who grow very close to you. Your spouse or significant other becomes ‘bone of bone, flesh of flesh with you. And of course every parent would do anything for his or her child. These lifetime friends provide the core for our relationships with others.

Take time to notice the friends that are part of your life this week. Cultivate their presence with you.

Dear God, Thank you for all the friends in my life. Thank you for those who help and instruct me. Thank you for family and friends who give me encouragement and hope. Help me be a true friend to others. Amen.

Rev. Lynn G. Groe
St. John’s Lutheran Church,Waukon