08/10/2026
âGreater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.â
John 15:13
âBy this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.â
1 John 3:16
As a pastor and as a friend, Iâve learned that sometimes people donât need another sermonâthey just need a friend.
A friend who will remind them of what Godâs Word says when theyâve forgotten. A friend who will pray with them when they donât know what to pray. A friend who will speak truth in love, but never make them feel condemned for struggling.
Proverbs 18:24 says, âA man that hath friends must shew himself friendly.â
Friendship requires us to be intentional. We have to show ourselves friendly. We have to reach out, check in, make the phone call, send the text, pray, listen, encourage, forgive, and sometimes simply show up.
And sometimes, being a good friend doesnât mean having the perfect words.
Sometimes it means sitting beside someone in their silence.
It means saying, âYou donât have to explain everything. Iâm here.â
A true friend doesnât judge you because youâre going through a difficult season. They donât make you feel like you have to hide your tears, your struggles, or your mistakes. They love you enough to walk beside you while also loving you enough to point you back to Jesus.
A true friend celebrates your victories without jealousy. They mourn with you when your heart is hurting. They pray for you when youâre weak. They encourage you when youâre discouraged. They tell you the truth when you need to hear it. They laugh with you, cry with you, check on you, forgive you, believe in you, and remind you of who God created you to be.
And when Scripture says âlay down his life,â it doesnât only speak of dying for someone. It also shows us what sacrificial love looks likeâputting someone else before yourself, giving of your time, your energy, your comfort, your prayers, and your presence.
Jesus gave us the greatest example. He didnât just tell us what love looks like.
He laid down His life for us.
As a pastor, I want to remind us that we need friends, but we cannot expect our friends to be our source.
Our source is Jesus.
We can encourage one another with Scripture, but we also need to learn how to encourage ourselves in the Word of God. We can pray for one another, but we also need our own prayer life. We can lean on our friends, but ultimately, our hope and strength must come from Christ.
Because people will sometimes disappoint us. Even good friends will have moments when they donât have the right words or donât know what we need.
But Jesus never leaves us.
So be the friend who stays.
Be the friend who listens.
Be the friend who prays.
Be the friend who speaks Scripture and truth.
Be the friend who doesnât judge.
Be the friend who celebrates others.
Be the friend who checks in.
Be the friend who shows up.
Be the friend who sits beside someone when they donât have the strength to stand.
Because sometimes the greatest ministry you can give someone isnât standing in front of them with a sermon.
Sometimes itâs sitting beside them with love.
And sometimes the most powerful words you can say are simply:
âIâm here. Iâm praying for you. You donât have to walk through this alone.â
That is friendship.
That is sacrificial love.
And that is the kind of love Jesus showed us.
In Love,
Pastor Marlana â€ïž
