Unlikely Friends
When Ruth went to work in the fields of Boaz, little did she know that he would eventually become her husband. While working for him, she experienced his Godly character when he provided for her and protected her. Likewise, Boaz saw Ruth’s actions and her heart and commented that she was a woman of noble character.
Both Ruth and Boaz not only did what was right, but did it right away. They shared the quality of thinking of others before themselves and the Lord orchestrated a beautiful relationship through their thoughtful actions.
Sometimes in life we encounter people by what might seem as chance. But each and every person enters our lives with a purpose. Some greater than others, but all meaningful.
Thinking about some of my friendships and how they started is proof that unlikely friendships can begin just about anywhere. Job sites, outreach events, walks in the park, phone calls, the options are limitless.
We often think that friends must have many things in common to be close. Sometimes like-minded Christians don’t venture far away from church or fellow Christians to form friendships. By doing this we can miss out on unexpected blessings like:
Experiencing things out of our comfort zone. We can get into a rut where all our friends like to do the same things and we never try anything new. It’s comfortable staying with the known, but it’s challenging and fun to expand into the unknown with a friend.
Learning to see people beyond how they differ from you. It’s refreshing to return to your sweet early childhood days when we made friends just because we liked them and they liked us—not because of how we looked, what church our families attended, how much money either family had, the size of our houses, or even what neighborhood we lived in. It didn’t matter then! It shouldn’t matter now!
Applying the true meaning of loving your neighbor. We know that Jesus sees everyone the same and died for all people to have the opportunity of salvation, but sometimes we as Christians don’t look at people with that openness when making friends.
Sharing ideas, perspectives, and conversations, you might never have experienced. Expanding our horizons to have honest debate and consider someone else’s perspective is almost a lost art today. We need to get back to those kinds of friendships in social media and personally.
Knowing someone has your back in circles you might not participate in. Your unlikely friend might not associate with the same people you do, but you each defend the other one regardless of the circumstances.
Being kind, loyal, and loving to someone not because of any ulterior motive to change them, but just because you like them. There’s always the temptation to try and change an unlikely friend to be more like you—think like you, act like you, believe like you—just not be so unlikely. When you do that, you lose the blessing of loving them just how they are. Maybe God will change them in places He wants, maybe He’ll change you, and maybe that’s why He put you together. But let Him be God and you be a true and loyal friend.
Unlikely friends are all around us.
Be Intentional about seeing friendships in unlikely places.
Praises & Prayers
Father, I want to thank you for the friendships that came in ways that I would never have expected. They are beautiful and deep. You know so much better than we do, the type of friends that we need. Open our eyes to see the possibilities before us. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Messages from His Word
Proverbs 27:9
Sweet friendships refresh the soul and awaken our hearts with joy, for good friends are like the anointing oil that yields the fragrant incense of God’s presence.