A friend of mine was responsible to have a spiral staircase installed at his place of work in a Christian organization. Next door was a metal worker who was also a good friend. My friend asked him for a price quotation. Proper use of the organization's money required that several price quotes be compared. When they had been received, it was very clear that they would have to give the work to someone else, not to the friend.
When the friend heard this, he felt betrayed and became very angry. Explanations were rejected, and he ended the conversation saying, "You are no longer my friend. For me you don't exist."
This was very painful. They had been friends for many years, and he had on several occasions spoken to the metal worker about his faith. He prayed for wisdom and felt that he should not give up his efforts to be reconciled. At every opportunity he tried to be friendly, but at first he was ignored.
It was a very slow process, he says, but gradually his friend began first to acknowledge his existence and then to talk to him. Now, many years later, they are good friends again.
The principle of death and resurrection reaches to every corner of our lives, even into our relationships. Sometimes, like the case of my friend, an old friendship seems to die in difficult circumstances. Just as God has gone the extra mile-the extra light year-to make us his friends again, so we too should take the initiative and make prayerful efforts to restore those relationships.
Just as God humbled himself in Jesus in order to bring us back to himself, let us be ready to humble ourselves so that fellowship and friendship can be resurrected.
- 24 APRIL -