Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Wednesday October 25, 2006

The battles among Christians are heartbreaking when good men and women for that matter disagree on points to the point of betrayal of friends or at least folks with whom you have pretended friendship.

Webster's online unabridged gives the following highest meaning to friend, and lists lesser types of friendships.

"1 a : one that seeks the society or welfare of another whom he holds in affection, respect, or esteem or whose companionship and personality are pleasurable : an intimate associate especially when other than a lover or relative."

That the scripture puts a higher meaning on the term is evident from the many usages throughout the scripture, one such verse being Psalms 41:9:

"Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me."

Clarke comments: "Did eat of my bread - Was an inmate in my house. Applied by our Lord to Judas, when eating with him out of the same dish."

The verse was originally applied to someone other than Judas. I feel certain that the Lord takes the betrayal of friendship very seriously.

I have been following the case of a preacher as it proceeds through a trial in Florida. I have to say at the outset that the man in question does not have the remotest prayer of getting a sympathetic ear as having studied his arguments for near two decades his positions have never won in court, and reams of case law cites will be entered as evidence. As I read the newspaper, so be sure I take the account with a pound of salt, I was deeply saddened to read the witness stand testimony of a famous 'Christian' attorney, reveal private conversations held between he and the defendant after a Sunday dinner to which he was invited after morning church at the defendant's home. 10/21/06 Pensacola News Journal.com

I am not personally considered a 'friend' to either of these men, nor do I desire such. From what I do know neither fits the profile of folks I would choose and I doubt seriously if I would fit theirs.

A 'friend' who would try to persuade you to knowingly break established case law would be suspect at the least, and a 'friend' who revels in taking the stand to let the world eavesdrop on conversations in the privacy of 'home' would be no less so.

Most of the conversations you or I would have in the privacy of our home will never be 'witness stand' material, nor should they be. But I assure you that Jesus Christ takes note of such violations of familiar friends when they do occur. We must learn to treasure our friends and our conversations with our friends.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2006 Use with credit.

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