Best Friends

"A friend loveth at all times" (Proverbs 17:17a).

Have you ever watched young girls interact? They can be the best of friends one moment and dire enemies the next. Because of petty differences and easily hurt feelings, young girls are notorious for having a new best friend each week. My homeschooled daughter found it difficult to keep up with these fluctuations in her friends. What she wanted most was an "Anne of Green Gables" kindred spirit in whom she could confide (Philippians 2:20).

The Bible gives us a great example of true friendship — Jonathan and David. Willing to lay down their lives for each other, they displayed a standard for us to follow. The example of their loyal friendship shows what is needed to be a friend and keep a friend. "And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever" (1 Samuel 20:42a).

Are you faithful to your friends? Do you work at making and keeping relationships alive, even during your busy homeschooling days? Don't forsake the treasure of a true friend! Schedule time into your homeschooling this week to bless the friends God has so graciously given you. Remember, too, to schedule time for your best friend, the One who sticketh closer than a brother — Jesus! "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24).

Jesus, thank You for all the wonderful people You have brought into my life. Help me to treat each one as a special gift from You. Thank You for being my best friend and giving me the Holy Spirit to remember all You have said. In Your name, Amen.

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Comments(10 comments)

JEANETTE W 10/14/2008 02:33:09

It is SO challenging to keep up friendships, but I find this to be true with most working moms. For those us us homeschooling AND working full time or more, it is nearly impossible.

Sometimes even these devotionals invite loneliness. I have not read ANY that reflect the increased challenges for those of us who homeschool and work both. Not everyone can quit their job to provide appropriate education. Some of us are the primary or only breadwinner in the family. How on earth can we begin to work and teach our children AND maintain friendships?

As much as I want to have friends, something has got to give and for now that is the sacrifice I need to make if homeschooling is to be an option.

LYNDA B 10/14/2008 05:39:13

This is so true, I really miss a true friend that has passed.

PATRICIA T 10/15/2009 08:19:41

I stay home to homeschool and can't find the time to maintain friendships either. I'm homeschooling 5 kids and my husband is going where ever he has to go to get a little more work. I've had a few friends that I thought were (as my kids say) bff's but they turned out to be fairweather friends. My one true best friend died several years ago...she was my mother.

DEB R 10/14/2011 03:13:03

I too homeschool and work full time 3 -12\'s. It is hard, some weeks I do not even call and talk to family, just too tired to talk to anybody :) Ready for the world to slow down a bit. I suppose like all things and like the Bible says-- there is a season.....

DESIREE M 10/14/2011 04:15:22

I can relate, especially to what Patricia T said. I try to maintain friendships but over and over seems the ones that I think are \"best friends\" to myself and my husband....aren\'t-they are just fair weather friends. Its hard to explain things like this to my children when I don\'t understand it myself. My true friend, my mom passed when I was young and just started my family. It\'s disappointing when you think someone is your close friend then it turns out that they apparently don\'t feel the same. Sometimes you feel like your begging to spend time together. My eldest daughter\'s answer to this has been to have a new best friend all the time. My youngest has sensitive feelings but is more independent which has helped. The world is such a disposable society nowadays, we as christians need to make sure we are teaching our children the values of friendship and the responsibilities of being a true friend. I hold on to the fond memories of my best friends in my school days..holding hands, sharing secrets, sleepovers....a more innocent time. May God help us all know the meaning of true friendship.

VICKIE L 10/14/2011 05:29:46

Good Morning Ladies! As a homeschooling mom for over 20 years, I now have the blessing of BFF\'s in my adult children. These are the ones we have invested our time and heartstrings in. I also still have young ones that I am schooling so there is not time for costly relationships outside of family. I am increasing, not changing, my list of BFF\'s! May we not miss those who our Lord has put in our lives. I have watched over the years an extended family member who is a homeschooling mom, put her time and energy into outside friendship. It would seem she needed it for her identity. She so hurt her children and lost their hearts, and I believe missed out on the closest friendships possible.

MANETTE S 10/14/2011 09:01:23

My dearest friend to me is 2500 miles away from me. We have been best friends since we were in kindergarten. We\'ve seen each other through great times and bad, weddings, the birth of children, and now that I am a new homeschooling mom, we see each other through this. Our children are wonderful friends and miss each other dearly. Which made this passage so meaningful to me when it says \"The Lord be between me and thee and between my seed and thy seed forever\". Wow! What a wonderful blessing God has given us!! And, he is helping us to maintain this wonderfully close relationship even though I am now in California and she is still at home in Louisiana. God is so good!

TANIA S 10/14/2011 11:44:50

I understand the kindred spirit scenario. I also am guilty of letting the relationships the Lord has provided for me slip away untended. That part stuck out the most for me.... the friends God has so graciously given you. For has has given me some true precious rubies. And it seems I have been pretty self absorbed and emotionally lazy for a while now. What a wonderful reminder that this is infact being a very poor steward of my blessings! ouch.

TRISTA J 10/14/2011 20:59:44

Thank you for this reminder to appreciate the friends God has given me! I am a homeschooling mother of two young boys, I work about 20 hours each week, and I am active in my church and my community. My husband is home for only 6 days each month, so I am primarily responsible for the care and maintenance of our rural home and property. I also do before and after school care of two of my neighbor\'s children. Do I have time to maintain a friendship? You bet I do! Further, I believe it is vital to my sanity! Letting Jesus and my friends and family share the load of daily living keeps me from feeling (and from getting) overwhelmed. Not only do we provide one another with emotional and spiritual support, but we can help each other in practical ways. It is easy to find ways to help one another when we are always sharing what is going on in our lives.It really doesn\'t take much time and effort to maintain a friendship. Pray for your friends. Make a quick phone call. (Use a hands-free headset while you do something else, if you feel like you can\'t sit down for five minutes!) Send a quick electronic message updating them about your week, or just to say that you were thinking of them or would like to spend some time, but can\'t right now, or just a quick note of appreciation and blessing. You had time to read this, and some of you had time to type a comment of your own, so no excuses now! It is all there in the final line of today\'s devotional: \"A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother\" (Proverbs 18:24).

I hope you are all blessed with wonderful friendships this year!

KATHY S 10/14/2012 07:51:18

Deb R. Don\'t know who accidentally gave you a negative, but the positive I put in made it back to even. Good job for you woprkuing and homeschooling! I admire your strength.

Friends, would be lost without my Mom and My friend Sue. Talk to my Mom anywhere from 1-5 times a day, amd my frind Sue and I email and talk at least once on the phone a day as well. I have a few other friends too. One newer lady friend from church Pat, she is just so sweet. Just when I think I might play hooky from church, she\'ll give me a call and say \"Are you going? Save a seat for us!\"

Friends help in so many ways. On the days where I feel like I don\'t know which way to turn, a friend whether it be my Mom, Sue, Pat, Lori, Chris, Mary, or my Most precious gift and friend my son, someone is always there for me along with Jesus who never leaves my side.

I may not have the extreme amount of time I used to before starting homeschooling, but, I still always have time for my friends. And homeschooling my son just brings our relationship closer. It\'s a win-win situation!


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