Should I Only Be Friends With Christians?

 

Friendship

    If you are anything like me, you are excited by the thought of hanging out with your friend. Having this type of mindset is typically referred to as being an extrovert, but really everyone enjoys friendship. God created humans to be social creatures, and we rely on relationships to fulfill many needs in life. It could be the care of a mother, the closeness of a sibling, or the emotional guidance of a mentor, either way, God shows His love by providing these things through different people. 

    Having a friend is also a very important type of relationship. It would make sense to choose your friend carefully, because they will greatly influence you; they could support you in life, pointing you to God, or tear you down, encouraging sin. 

    Yet, Jesus broke bread with sinners, didn't He? So, is it a bad idea to become close to someone who doesn't follow Jesus?

Iron Sharpens Iron

    I have gone to public high school for two years now, (Junior year starts in two months!) and the hardest part has definitely been social interactions. I absolutely love meeting new people, and it is even more fun to develop a friendship and learn about who they are. Yet, as I attend a pubic high school, there are only a handful of Christians. Most of the people I became friends with didn't follow the same truth I did- we shared morals, but many behaviors that are still acceptable with "good morals" are disobedient to God. 

    

    Eventually, I became close to girls who were unintentionally pulling me away from God. Don't get me wrong, I love all of the people I see at school, and many of the girls I'm referencing are so caring! People can be kind and loving, but still deter you from the Truth. That doesn't mean they hate God either; when you live by your own definition of truth, you subsequently deny the real Truth- God's Word.

    To answer the question from the title, I don't think it's a bad idea to become friends with a non-Christian. I personally think it's great to be friends with people from every walk of life. Every human is God's creation, and we all have value. We all should interact, and share some kindness with one another.

    What makes God holy isn't that He stays away from sinners; it's that He loves everyone, even though we have all sinned. Christians represent Jesus Christ, so we too should show God's love to everyone. 

    I'm still trying to balance if I should consistently hang out with non-Christians, because forming a close "bestie" relationship with someone is different from being friends. (As stated before, they could unintentionally -or intentionally- tempt you to sin.) You can determine that on your own, of course, but I think as children of God, He wants us to get guidance and fellowship with other Christians. 

    "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens the other." Proverbs 27:17

    Therefore, remember to build up your friends. Christian people are still guilty of selfishness, hatred, envy, and other traits that can tear apart a friendship. Remember to put your friend first, by serving her, and considering what's best for her before yourself.

    "What's best for her" is another aspect of real love. If you truly love someone, you wont just support whatever she likes or desires; you will promote what's best for her. This doesn't mean you can make judgments on decisions she makes or opinions she has, but rather encourage each other to Christ. That's what the "iron sharpens iron" verse is about; two people following Christ can sharpen and help each other to glorify God, not to be in control of the other's convictions.

Show Some Love 

    A great way to represent Jesus is to show His hospitality and love to others, so I suppose the entire point of this post is just to encourage you to do so. I recently added a paper I wrote onto the "essay" tab about inclusivity and why Jesus wants us to love everyone no matter what. 

    You could show love to your friend by baking her a batch of cookies, surprising her with her favorite latte, planning a brunch together, complimenting her new hair, give her a big hug when she's upset, or just sit there to listen to her new fixation on a TV show. 

    One more important thing; if you never become friends with non-Christians, how will you be able to share the gospel? Our jobs as Christians is to be a witness of Jesus's incredible life to others. That being said- a friend is never a conversion project. If she makes it clear she doesn't want to hear about God, don't pester her about it. It's the Holy Spirit's job to convict and draw people to Him, not ours. I am planning on writing a post (maybe next week?) focusing on this more. 

    Thank you so much for reading my blog, have a lovely day, God bless. 

    - Acadia :)