GPS for the week of September 20, 2020
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“The Teaching Of A Friend“
Friendships are crucial in our lives. Our life-giving relationships are the foundation of our physical, mental, spiritual, and moral health. When we spend time together walking, talking, and sharing, our lives become deeper and richer. One of the most important reasons for this is that as friends we are teaching each other. This is what we focus on this week: The teaching of a friend.
Prayer: Lord, today I lift up my friends. Thank you for their presence in my life. Thank you for the moments when we teach each other. Please guide us this week as friends and help us to see each other through your eyes. Amen.
Monday 9.21 “Seasons of Life” Matthew 20: 1-16
Imagine, if you will, that instead of this being a story of being paid money that this instead refers to friendship. (One of the fun things about parables is that they lend themselves to multiple interpretations.) In our lives there are friends who come to us in the early seasons of life as children, then in the season of life that is our teen years, then at each step of the way in our adult years. In each season, our friends can bring joy and wisdom. Our newest friends may bring just as much or even more into our living as our oldest friends. What are some of the things that your oldest and now newest friends have brought into your life? How have they taught you?
Tuesday 9.22 “Between Generations” 1 Kings 19: 1-21
Elijah was aging but still wanted his ministry to continue. He identified Elisha to follow in his footsteps. This relationship began and deepened as Elisha first became his servant. These friendships between generations involve mentoring, and yet they can still be deep and life-giving. What have been the most important friendships you have shared at some point in your life with someone who was older than you? Younger than you?
Wednesday 9.23 “Teach Each Other” Colossians 3: 12-17
The Golden Rule says that we are to treat each other in the ways that we ourselves want to be treated. This short passage lays out a guideline for doing this in our friendships. Some friendships over time become negative and toxic, while other friendships grow richer and truer. The difference lies in how we treat each other and teach each other. What is it in this passage that strikes you either because this describes your friendship or because it does NOT describe your friendship? How can you live these instructions better?
Thursday 9.24 “A True Friend” Proverbs 18: 24
“A true friend” is what we both want to be and to have. Stop to think. How is it that you build and encourage your friendships? Are there friendships that you have laid aside over time that you would like to strengthen? What can you do about that even today?
Friday 9.25 “At All Times” Proverbs 17:17
“A friend loves at all times.” When are times that you have been loved by friends through the tough times? What was it that made the most difference to you? How have you stuck by your friends in their tough times?
Saturday 9.26 “Open / Hidden” Proverbs 27: 5-6
“Better is open rebuke than hidden love.” It takes a special person to be able to rebuke you in ways that you can actually hear. It takes a special person to love you enough to speak openly about difficult issues. How have you known this to be true in your experience?