I was talking with a friend not long ago about loneliness. a problem that is probably more common than people might think. As we were talking I mentioned The Prophet, Elijah, and specifically what God told him when he thought he was the only one serving God, in 1 Kings 19:18, says “Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” After talking about this, my friend said something that I think is powerful, “Well… I may not be 7,000… But I am 1” This meant more to me than almost anything they had said up to that point. but as I was thinking more about it, shouldn’t we all have that attitude? As brothers and sisters in Christ, we have no excuse to make others feel lonely, excluding others for any reason except if they are living in sin, is sin itself. We should all have this sentiment in our hearts. Whenever I am at gatherings of Christians, if I see someone sitting by themselves, isn’t it my duty to go and talk to them and include them? Even if our hobbies are completely different and we don’t like the same foods/games/movies whatever it may be, we should at least have Christ in common.
The Bible talks quite a bit about friendships. Passages like Proverbs 17:17 ” A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity. “;
Proverbs 27:9 ” Ointment and perfume delight the heart, And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel. 10 Do not forsake your friend or your father’s friend, Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity”;
Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away. “;
Proverbs 27:17 ” As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend“
There are several others, but I think that these convey what we are supposed to do. We are supposed to love at all times, counsel our friends in times of need, sharpen our friends, even, if we are truly friends, be willing to die for them “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. ” John 15:13
This was said by the greatest friend we have, Jesus. He will never depart from us. but it is conditional. If you look in the next verse he says “you are my friends, if you do what I command you” If we follow Jesus, we will have a friendship that cannot be broken by this world. and part of obeying Him is being there for OUR friends and brethren. We should all have the mindset of “I may not be 7,000… but I am 1” those 7,000 people probably didn’t all know each other, but I’m sure if they happened across any one of those 7,000, they would have loved and taken care of each other.
Closing this article I want to issue a challenge. Challenge yourself to be just one friend. we can’t do as much as 7,000 people, but if we just focus on ourselves and make sure we are friends, then we will be a part of the number. let your friends know that they can count on you and that you will be there for them. we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. it should be in our nature to care for each other and help one another. And if you feel like you have no friends, let me know. I will be your friend. I may not be 7,000… But I am 1.
Very well said.