In the book of Matthew, Jesus Christ tells us that our walk in this life could only be either on the broad way that leads to destruction, or the difficult way that leads to life.
Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
Frail and easily deceived humans as we are, we need to make sure we find that narrow gate to get and continuously tread on the way that leads to eternal life. That only sure way is none other than Jesus Christ who declares in John 14:6, “I am the way… No one comes to the Father except through me.”
At one time or other, we spend part or all of our present life with a human boss. For those who now call the shots, you were, in your childhood, under the authority of another. Even if this boss discharges the highest level of human goodness to his wards, somehow along the way life will become unpleasant the boss being still imperfect.
But when Jesus Christ is that boss, we are assured of full and abundant living. We feel at ease and well motivated to do our work. This is so when the boss treats us ot as his mere servants but as friends!
When we do whatever Jesus commands us, we become his friends. Jesus says:
John 15:14 “You are my friends if you do whatever I command you.”
Our relationship with Jesus is elevated from master-servant to a much higher level. Friendship!
John 15:15 “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends…”
To be honored of being called a friend by Jesus Christ simply involves our obeying his commandment. And what is this commandment?
John 15:12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”
A good way to love another is to live the “pure and undefiled religion” spoken of in James 1:27.
James 1:27 “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”
This is not easy if we rely on our own human power to refocus our concerns from oneself to another in need. By letting Jesus live in us, we will be enabled to carry out this command fully. We can learn from the apostle Paul who assures,
Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
When Jesus Christ lives in us and does the work for us, there’s no way we could get off track! While we walk with and on “the way” who is Jesus Christ himself as our friend and guide, we live an exceptionally joyful and abundant life we could not even imagine.
Friendship with Jesus Christ necessarily carries with it the friendship of God the Father as we become confidants and privy to what the Father tells Christ.
John 15:15 (2nd part) “…but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from my Father I have made known to you.”
We could find and walk on the friendship way life with our friend Jesus Christ by heeding his command to “love one another” as Jesus loved us (John 13:34). Let’s all walk on the way that leads to everlasting life, the Friendship (with God) Way Life!