“Every page of the New Testament tells us about the deep friendship and love that Jesus feels for us.”- Emilie Griffin, Green Leaves for Later Years
In Chapter 10 (“The Affirmation of Being Chosen”) of Transforming Loneliness, Ruth Graham talks about three verses from John 15. These verses convey Jesus’ words of love. And Ruth believes these three verses minister to the lonely.
1. Jesus calls you His friend. Because of Jesus’ friendship (John 15:15), you’re never alone. In addition, you’ll never be the same. As Trevor Hudson notes in Beyond Loneliness: “Only when we have confronted the reality of our loneliness can we grasp the overwhelming significance of what Jesus offers us: transforming friendship with God.”
2. Jesus chose you. John 15:16 tells us that Jesus chose us and appointed us to go and bear fruit. As the vine, Jesus pours His love, mercy, grace, and holiness into you, filling you up. As a result, they overflow as fruit in your life, attracting others to Jesus.
3. Jesus calls you to love others. Ms. Graham stresses that this verse creates a profound impact on how you befriend others. Or the type of friend you will be. Perhaps, more than anything else, that transforms your loneliness into deep, rich, and satisfying relationships with others.
Above all, in A Simple Faith, Mother Teresa wrote:
“We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread, but there are many more dying for a little love.”
Finally, Ruth exhorts, choosing to give others attention is the perfect way to:
- follow Jesus’ command to treat others as you want to be treated
- make new friends, and therefore ease your loneliness
- model for others the love of Jesus
Today’s question: How do you model the deep friendship and love of Jesus to others? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Foundation of courage = vulnerability”
