Making New Friends
SCRIPTURE:
A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity. —Proverbs 17:17—
and a brother is born for a time of adversity. —Proverbs 17:17—
THOUGHT:
Have you ever noticed someone for the first time even though they have been physically near you for a long time?
I recently experienced that phenomenon. Someone I know has been employed at a company for a long time when the COVID pandemic struck the U.S. He has been furloughed for a period of time, as are millions of Americans these last couple of months. He has never before had to deal with this type of situation.
Yet, during this time, in order to deal with getting paychecks, deciphering sick leave and/or available vacation time, validity and effectiveness of insurance benefits…..many phone calls and emails are being made to obtain accurate information in order to proceed forward in a troubling time.
When someone is working in a particular department at the company, even for many years, they often only communicate with their boss or co-workers in the same department. My friend is now needing to communicate with Human Resources, higher management, Payroll, etc.. He has “met” several new people. He already knew their names and kind of what their job entailed but had never any interactions with them…until now. He was a little hesitant at first because he didn’t REALLY know them and of course it is a confusing time.
Yet, they turned out to be so informative, gracious, understanding, and very kind. They were helpful in communicating in a timely manner, clear about instructions, and understanding about extenuating circumstances. In fact, they reached out to him, checking out how he was doing, and were overtly concerned about his welfare.
He has found out that all of us are in this crazy situation “together”. We can be “isolated” physically, but at the same time, we can continue to communicate with each other and even discover new and wonderful people in the midst of confusion. He was able to forge relationships that he never would have thought feasible. I guess it’s true that “Adversity makes strange bedfellows” (Shakespeare).
It reminds me of Jesus and his “strange bedfellows”. The Pharisees and Sadducees often chastised him for “hanging out” with the poor, the ill, the Gentiles, the children, and many more groups. Jesus knew better. He knew that it was best to reach out to EVERYONE. Regardless of our proximity to them – whether physically, spiritually, or emotionally. He was never afraid to be amongst the sick. He was proactive in searching out persons who felt different.
Jesus, as our Savior, puts the “verb” portion of “Savior” into action. He SAVES us. He doesn’t just save the healthy and the strong and the “right” person. He is not shy about it. He doesn’t feel uncomfortable reaching out.
So, even though this time is tough, we are finding positive attributes such as meeting wonderful new people and forging new friendships with those we wouldn’t normally have known.
Challenge:
Reach out to someone, whether in person or online or on the phone or even….a letter via snail mail. Converse and share with someone new. Find out who the are, what they do, what the like. You just never what could happen.
PRAYER:
My Jesus, my Friend. We acknowledge what you did here on earth in reaching out to ALL people and we are asking You to give us the strength to do the same. Help us to emulate You and Your Love as we attempt to lose our trepidation and actively search out persons – not just like ourselves but also completely different than ourselves, and show them the Love of God. Help us to be friendly to all people, regardless of what we may or may not know about them. Be our Example dear Jesus. Be our Helper, our Savior. We love You.
AMEN
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