March 6, 2007

SUPPORT

Back in November, I went to Bair Lake Bible Camp for a fall retreat and had a really good time. Two of the topics discussed were “From whom are you getting your support? Who are you giving yours to?”

As Pastor Andy Stanley put it, “Your friends will determine the quality and direction of your life.” I learned: Don’t make it harder for yourself by being with people you know won’t support you in your beliefs.

Are you frequently around people who do unchristian things that you don’t approve of, yet find yourself joining in? This is not what God wants from us. I’ve learned that the church is a great way to get the right Christian support you need.

For example, as part of confirmation, I had to talk to church members to ask them what the church meant to them. All of them said something about how the church community was always supportive. I myself have experienced it many times, like after the Christmas pageant when I was flooded with compliments, or when I returned from up north after my grandma died…everyone I talked to was caring enough to say something encouraging.

When I was at camp, I was also in a friendly, comfortable environment with other Christians. I told myself that I would be pure and holy when I went back to school, which, compared to camp, is a judgmental and sometimes hostile environment. Doing this was and is much harder than I expected. It really hit me hard that I didn’t have that many Christian friends supporting me. This made me, once again, turn back to God for help.

But it also reminded me of the second lesson from the retreat: Who are you giving your support to, or how much support are you giving? Do you keep your faith a secret, only doing what you know is right once a week at church? Purity is about treating everyone with respect. Maybe I wasn’t making it clear enough what I needed from my friends. Maybe it works both ways.

Here are some short verses that define good ways to be a true friend.

• “Just as iron sharpens iron, friends sharpen the minds of each other.” – Proverbs 27: 17
• “The right word at the right time is like precious gold set in silver.” – Proverbs 25: 11
• “Some friends don’t help, but true friends are closer than your own family.” – Proverbs 18: 24
• “True friends are consistent; the same in public and private.” – Hebrews 13:7,8
• “True friends promote doing the right things.” – 2 Timothy 2:22
• “True friends lead, and follow, to the right places.” – Joshua 24:15

Craig Campbell