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Friends of Jesus

Friends of Jesus: You and Me? Be the Valentine to Jesus?

Friends of Jesus enriched His life. Through the lives of Jesus’ closest friends and acquaintances we see how to be a friend to the Savior and all humanity: the ones He came to save.

We are friends to Jesus when we are:

Teachable (willing to fail and try again) like Simon called Peter

Inviting others to “come and see” like Andrew

Filled with confidence and conviction in who Jesus is like James and John

Transparent (vulnerable) like Matthew

Growing in obedience and faith like Philip

Able to give up our own agendas unlike Judas

Seeking to do His will without accolades like the little known disciples

Searching with open hearts and willing to be used as an example of grace like Zacchaeus

Bold enough to ask the hard questions then die for the answers like Thomas

Nathanael who was willing to give his life for a friend

Willing to give without recognition of the cost/sacrifice like those left behind

Are we willing to get as close as possible, to look Jesus in the eye, like the children

Grateful like the women

Searchers of truth and willing to do what’s right in the face of criticism like the rich and famous

Hospitable like Mary, Martha, and Lazarus

Letting our lives teach lessons like my friend(s) even when at first the lesson stings

Expressions of love

These are expressions of love we see in (I Corinthians 13:1-13). Then Jesus commanded us to love those He loved. (John 15:17). When we love others, we are loving Him for we are being obedient. John 14:15-16 This is how to be the Valentine Jesus wants.

“Let your house be a meeting place for the rabbis, and cover yourself in the dust of their feet, and drink in their words thirstily.” (attributed to Yose ben Yoezer second century BC from Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus by Ann Spangler and Lisa Tverberg)

Loving My Jesus, by Casting Crowns

Yvonne Jones