Emergency Broadcast: Two Sentiments

Despite my earlier post, I feel this definitely needs to come out in the written form.

I have been speaking with two childhood friends recently, and they have both said something that has forced some good reflection for me.

-I would much rather have girl friends over guy friends. Guys are competitive jerks that I cannot connect with on a real level.

This I found interesting as it made me look at the relationships in my life. Definitely true to an extent, guys are pretty competitive. So much so that true friendship cannot be accomplished?

I have had the exciting pleasure to be a part of a body of believers who have been encouraging me lately to bring everything encountered in life back to a God context, via the scriptures. I think John 15:12-17, and Philippians 2:3-4 speaks a lot to this particular sentiment.

 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command.  I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.  You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit —fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 


I have been curious lately about non-christian friendships, and this is definitely not the first time I have heard this sentiment. But do you see what Christ is saying here? If my priorities are to elevate myself over another, my priorities are off.




-There are two places to get friends. Work and Church. And I am not going to church to find friends.

This one really grabbed my attention. I questioned a few things with this sentiment. What would stop a non-christian from going to church exclusively for the purpose of finding people who (hopefully) don't abandon you on a moments whim? Chances are, if you were to find these types of people anywhere- it would be a church.

Or, how would a church respond to an individual walking in off the street with this sole purpose in mind? How would my church respond? How, based on the scriptures alone (aka, the authority of any church), should a church respond?

Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands) — remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  Ephesians 2:11-13

And because our church is currently going through book of Ruth!...(and it just so happens to apply)

 At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me —a foreigner?  Ruth 2:10

While not direct ties per say, I believe the heart of what is being said in both of these passages still apply. In the first, Paul is speaking to a group of people (Jews) who alienated another group of people (Gentiles) for thousands of years of the basis of not being "God's people."

After Christ's death however, this is no longer acceptable- which is what Paul is saying here. If the common denominator is Christ, for all, then how does that spell out what our response should be to outsiders of the faith?

The second example goes back a bit further, and is a fascinating story really. Ruth, (A Moabite who is a foreigner to the land of Israel) is found favorable by a well respected Israelite man by the name of Boaz. She is astonished by the show of favor from Boaz to her, as this is unheard of in this time/land. Foreigners are foreigners, and are to be kept at arms length.

I believe this sentiment is a very..very common one among those who don't attend church. I also have a lot of reason to believe the majority of churches today do not wish to tackle the challenge of relating to those who not only disagree with what is the most important aspect of a church goers life, but flat-out hate it, in some cases.

But by falling into the comfortableness of only communicating with those who agree with me, how does this coincide with the scriptures?  How does this grow me as a Christ follower?


Thankfully these questions are answered by my current body of believers. Men who show me via example on a regular basis that by ignoring outsiders, it definitely does not line up with scripture. It's refreshing (and humbling) to see this in my church...Praise God for it!