THIS weekend I met with my antenatal friends to mark the occasion of our firstborns getting a place at their chosen secondary schools.
We’ve been there for each other through the highs and the lows of parenthood thus far, facing down challenges and celebrating successes.
Knowing they are there each step of the way has been a great source of encouragement.
It brings to mind another group of friends who were brought together from different backgrounds through a single common factor – following Jesus.
The disciples of the Bible were invited by Jesus to be his friends.
Like my friends, they experienced successes together, celebrated, and feasted together, but they also faced the toughest of challenges; judgement, brutality, betrayal, grief and eventually death.
They were there through it all.
Jesus knew the value of friendship – after all, he chose these individuals to walk alongside him when he was divinely capable of going it alone.
Perhaps you have a similar group of friends who have been with you along a journey in your life.
Perhaps you don’t.
Often, it’s the situations we experience that form the bond of friendship, or sadly, even destroy it.
Regardless of your situation, true friendship as modelled by Jesus demands loyalty, trust, sacrifice, and above all love.
As the world becomes ever more turbulent, I can’t help but think that these are things I hope for, not just for myself, my firstborn and my friends, but for all people, everywhere.
Lois Theobald is children and families worker at Wokingham Baptist Church, which meets on Sundays at 10.30am.
For information, visit: wokinghambaptist.org.uk
