READING: Romans 14-16
TEXTS AND APPLICATION: Christian friends — they’re unbelievable gifts of the Lord to us. In the last chapter of Romans, Paul listed several friends whose love and support comforted and encouraged him (e.g., Prisca and Aquila, Epaenetus, Mark, Andronicus, etc.). See, for example, Romans 16:3-4 — “Give my greetings to Prisca and Aquila, my coworkers in Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks for my life. Not only do I thank them, but so do all the Gentile churches.”
We don’t always know much about these friends, but we do know they somehow influenced the life of the greatest apostle in the New Testament. They were his co-laborers in the gospel, brothers and sisters who shared life together in the family of God.
I wish I could list all the people who come to my mind right now. Sonney. Christie. Paul. Edna. Red. Gloria. Herbert. Ed. Dave. Don. Linda. Ronnie. Carol. Mike. Sandy. Brandon. Jody. Rick. Steve. Jorge. I could go on and on, listing names of people without whose influence I would not be who I am today — and in some of these cases, people whose presence in my life this day still challenges and changes me. I wish I could greet them all today. Someday, I will.
Here’s my question today, though: am I living for God in such a way that somebody else will include me on his or her list of influential Christian friends years from now?
ACTION STEPS: Make a list of 10-20 names of believers who’ve influenced your life. Thank God for each of them. Be such a friend to somebody today.
PRAYER: “God, I’m amazed by Your plan. Thank You for each of these persons today. Make me willing to be an influencer, too.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Acts 20:4-23:35
