Daily Devotional for August 19, 2017
Becoming Friends
Luke sat in the pew and stared off into space, wondering what was in the
oven at home. His stomach growled loudly, and he hoped his family would leave soon.
“What are you doing sitting here by yourself?”
Luke looked up as Mr. Bryant sat down in the pew in front of him. “Nothing,” Luke said with a smile. He liked talking to Mr. Bryant.
“Why don’t you go talk to someone?” Mr. Bryant asked.
Luke stared at Mr. Bryant. “I don’t have any friends here,” he said.
“What do you mean you don’t have friends?” Mr. Bryant looked around the church. “I bet the kids over there are your age.” He pointed to someone up front. “And I know he’s your age!”
Luke looked and saw that Mr. Bryant was pointing to his grandson standing by the piano. “It’s just—it’s hard to know what to say to other kids,” he told Mr. Bryant. “I don’t mind being by myself.”
Mr. Bryant cleared his throat. “Remember when you first started coming to church here with your family? I totally ignored you when you came, and that’s how we became friends, right?”
Luke laughed. “No! You were one of the first people to say hello, and we talk all the time now.”
Mr. Bryant nodded and leaned his arm on top of the pew. “Listen, Luke. You want friends, don’t you?” Luke nodded. “Well,” Mr. Bryant said, “the Bible says you have to be friendly to have friends. You have to go right up and introduce yourself, like I did when I first met you. To have friends, you have to work at it a little, even if it’s scary at first.”
“But it’s hard,” Luke said.
“So’s math,” said Mr. Bryant with a grin. “But I think if you work at it, you’ll make one of those friends the Bible talks about—one that sticks closer than a brother.”
Luke thought about that and smiled. “I guess that’d be cool,” he said.
Mr. Bryant leaned over and gave Luke a friendly slap on the shoulder. “Now you’re talking.” He looked at the clock and got up. “See you later, Luke.” He jerked his thumb toward his grandson. “Now go say hello.” – Katlyn Traxler
How about you?
Do you need a friend? Trying to make friends can be scary, but it gets easier the more you practice. Ask God to show you the special people He’s put in your life and give you the courage to reach out to them and be friendly. Just saying hello to someone new could be the beginning of a lifelong friendship.
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