Uncommen: Kingdom BusinessSample

Kingdom Friend

1 Thessalonians 5:11 ~ "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."

Today we focus on being a Kingdom Friend, and no, your 6431 social media friends don't count. So instead, we talk about the people we do life with and how we interact with them.

If you're like me, you have a small group of people you count as close friends, and each of them benefits me greatly. I have friends I met at church, and we just clicked with each other. Many of the same interests but enough differences to make our relationship interesting. I have friends in different parts of the country that I've never met in person, and we are best friends. I met them through Uncommen, and we do life daily with each other. We have different backgrounds, but each loves the Lord and works together to further the Kingdom.

I have a friend I didn't think we would connect with but did, and it's been a great friendship.

I've made friends in the business that have moved past just doing business together.

I have "friends" that, while I'm friendly with, I don't know if we are genuine friends.

I know people you'd think I'd be friends with, but we never connect. So, I don't know if the issue is with them, me, or us.

Then there are people I have no desire to be more than an acquaintance.

As you can see, the word friend can be complicated. It made me think of the apostles as a group. Here we have 12 men from different backgrounds, points of view, and agendas. Were they friends? Maybe. Did they have the same calling? Yes.

I'm writing to let you know we won't always become lifelong friends with everyone we meet. But if we love them like Jesus, we can support, encourage and cheer for them no matter our friendship level.

Pro-tip: you may have friends move in and out of your life for whatever reason. It doesn't make them any less of your friend. Please take a moment to reach out via phone, email, or text to see how they are doing. You may have been the only Jesus in their life.

Uncommen Questions:

How do you approach friendship?

Do you have a couple of close friends with whom you can do life with?

Do you have friends that hold you accountable and pray for you?

Uncommen Challenge:

I challenge us not to overlook friendship, as it can round off our lives in areas we may not realize we need.