Friendship and ministry, in what way do these two terms differ or define one another? For many in our society, the terms “ministry" or "minister”are not always viewed from a positive perspective. The term “friend” however, is virtually always seen from a positive perspective. Why is this?
If there is any area wherein we must admit that we are truly lifelong learners, it would be in the area of what it means to be a friend to one another. Jesus defined friendship by our ability to sacrifice ourselves one for the other in obedience to God from whom we would ultimately receive our recognition and reward. The words of Christ Jesus are, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). We know this message as foundational for our acceptance of the Christian faith.
Who among us can truly believe that we have mastered this lesson of friendship? No, in all honesty, we should, instead, confess that all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of Christ in this area as well as in other areas (Romans 3:23). Furthermore, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (I John 1:8). By confessing our sins, Christians believe in the veracity of 1 John 1:9-10 that Christ, “is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives.” This is not a once in a lifetime confession of sin only either. The Scriptural Word and Holy Spirit was given in order that we may fully know what adjustments must be continually made in our lives to be people or “ministers” useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training ourselves and others in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16).
People who receive the title, “minister”, may be particularly vulnerable to see themselves from a “holier than thou” state in interaction with those who have not received the message of propitiation or with other Christians. The Apostle Paul, to his credit, in all humility continually reminded those to whom he ministered as a friend, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me…All of us who are mature should take such a view of things” (Phil. 3:12,15).
In order to be a good friend, don’t be so quick to find every fault you can in another. Be assured that they can do likewise. Very often, it can be our own perceptions and/or our own erroneous need to control others that is to blame. Christ, our example, sees beyond our faults and instead as a friend ministers to our needs. Isn’t that one of the many reasons that we should obey His word and love Him so?
