Finding time to be with people is just as important as finding time to be alone with God. For some of us it has to be just as intentional as our time alone with God. In today’s society there is no real reason to leave home. You can order books, supplies, and groceries as well as communicate with your friends and acquaintances via e-mail or video phone — and never have to leave home. While this may provide a great deal of convenience, it is the opposite of how God designed us to be. We thrive in the midst of relationships, unless we have been given the gift of singleness. Statistics published by TTI Performance Systems, an assessment company, indicates that 67% of every American is people oriented while a third is task oriented. Investing in others is an eternal investment.

One fellow who made friends very well wrote this in his journal on January 21, 1772: Though a stranger in a strange land, God has take care of me. Why did Francis Asbury become more recognized “face to face” than George Washington and Thomas Jefferson during this time? He spent his life crisscrossing America, traveling about one hundred thirty thousand miles. He was responsible for, the creation of the American Methodist Church. He did that by meeting and befriending ordinary people. He guided what became America’s largest 19^th century denomination and laid the foundation of the Holiness and Pentecostal movements of today. Many attribute the Methodist movement to Wesley, but it was Asbury that made it happen.

I don’t want you to think I am yanking your chain by comparing St. Anthony and Francis Asbury and telling you need both. The reality is you need balance in your life. You need time alone to learn to hear what God’s voice sounds like and you need time with others to mature you through life’s challenges. Each seasons you and molds you in different ways. Remember this. God is three persons – three individuals with unique functions, yet they are “one.” (We’ll take up that conversation at a later date.) The reality is the Godhead is relational and They want us to emulate Their family. There is unity, harmony and singleness of purpose because they are walking in the same direction together.

Having friends and choosing them well is a subject we will visit often during this year. A friend’s role is irreplaceable. God provides individuals at pivotal points in your life which make significant differences in how we view life and react to circumstances. Who your friends are will have an eternal impact on your life. If you consider it that way, it may help you make a better decision. Find someone who will love you properly, like it says in Proverbs 17:17. “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” The other thing you want in a friend is someone who will tell you the truth because they love you enough to be honest. If you find someone who only agrees with you, you are setting yourself up for a fall and who knows what, behind your back. Listen to Proverbs 27:6. “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” Have you told your friend you love them today?

Love, Dad