The challenge question, are you friend or foe, goes back a long way. I imagine it began not long after mankind found the need to form into tribes and nations.
I heard a story the other day that prompted me to think about who, exactly, are our friends. Who are my friends? I was led to wonder; how do I know.
The story I listened to involved a group of what should have been friends. I can’t say if they are good friends, but they’re supposed to be like minded.
The group members are both motorcycle riders, and confessing believers in Jesus Christ. Christians.
They Do This Every Week
They have a weekly riding routine. It begins at a specific hour and place. Each week one rider is designated as the leader.
They meet and ride for a while, stopping at a preselected restaurant. They eat, fellowship, and then return home.
I use the term fellowship to mean they probably just talk about stuff while eating lunch.
The story involved two riders.
I understand they are married to each other, are prior military, and had achieved a level of success in the officer ranks.
The two had been designated as leaders for the ride.
Another rider was late getting to the starting location. Being late was uncharacteristic.
The focus of the story centers on the leaders. They determined the group would roll on time. No waiting. The missing rider had been reached by phone. His arrival was eminent. Perhaps ten minutes.
The leaders showed no leniency. They were leaving on time, with or without him.
Were They Friends?
Will a friend drive away? Did the missing man have a mechanical problem? Maybe he had an extended bathroom issue. Maybe the cause of his delay could use prayer. We don’t know.
What we do know, is he found no grace from the leaders. His Christian friends rode off without him.
As I understand it, the leaders showed no interest in an excuse. Tardiness was unacceptable.
‘Your late, take a lap.’
These people are retired. The weekly ride is intended to be joyful, peaceful, and friendly. Why no patience?
So, the question again. Who is my friend?
Where does this growing intolerance come from?
We’ve all heard the saying, ‘with friends like that, who needs enemies?’
I heard recently that more and more Christians are saying and doing things that seen to support the works of the devil rather than glorifying Jesus Christ.
Social media. I’ve come to loathe it.
We all know how bad it’s gotten. Some of it comes from the Christian camp.
Believers are writing posts and leaving comments that can cause one to think they have taken up the cause of evil. They may think they’re defending the gospel.
In reality, they are spreading hate, anger, and discontent.
How About Galatians 5: 22, 23?
You know, Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
I’ve started reading Tweeter again. I monitor about five accounts. I’m tracking the markets, and I watch the increasing death rate from the COVID vaccine.
I ignore Truth Social except to post articles like this.
I frequently see tweets from professing Christians. There is an abundance of mocking, ridiculing, and disrespectful chatter.
I understand the motivation some have to proclaim their view of truth, but it’s not helping.
I get the impression that pride might be the bigger motivation. A quest to prove who’s smarter.
Are we friends? Are we like minded? Do we have something we can agree on? Like, You Must Be Born Again
Doing the works of the devil
The enemy loves it. By their own conduct Christians are doing his bidding. Regardless of intentions, believers are shooting the gospel in the foot.
Consider the unsaved, unchurched, reader. They see the church carping at each other, seemingly unable to agree.
What self-respecting lover of the world wants to join a group that fights, backbites, and mocks each other?
Can You Hear Them?
Listen closely. They are laughing at the church. They are rejecting any idea that God is real. For them, the notion of salvation is meaningless.
Many in the world are being condemned to hell because Christians are busy trying to one-up each other.
But I’m calling out false teachers!
Really, is that all you have? The platform for that debate is elsewhere.
Whether we’re old military officers trying to bully our friends, or an unanimous believer trying to build a platform. Stop it.
It’s time we are friends to everyone. It’s time we quit doing the devil’s work.
Forget about clicks and speak to the lost. Give them the gospel. The simple truth. The good news. The world is screaming to know the truth.
Are you a friend or a foe?