Pouring In - Pouring Out

It often troubles me that I can't spend enough time with more christian brothers. It seems God has been bringing more men into my life that I could really connect with. Men that I would like to spiritually pour into. The problem lies in the fact that I don't seem to have the time to share with the ones I already have a connection to. I just can't be a friend with everyone I meet.

I always try to go back to the model of Jesus. Jesus preached to, ministered to, and healed thousands of people, but he only had twelve disciples. Of those twelve, only three were invited with him when he was transfigured on the mountain.

With that, I have to remind myself I do not have to relate equally with everyone. In fact, I don't want to waste precious friendship time on relationships that are not productive.

I believe it's one thing to reach out to the needy or broken, but it's another to have a friendship. In the first situation you are doing ministry by caring, by showing love and compassion. An extensive amount of time is not necessarily required. You see their need and focus on that need. When you are truly a friend, you and your friend will be giving equally to each other. Both of you will be nourished in the relationship. I pour into you and you pour into me. More time is required because in this relationship ministry is working in two directions. The needs are doubled but the burdens are cut in half. As a result a deeper relationship is formed.

In our lives we should strive to have people whom we pour into, who give us little or nothing in return. We should also have people who pour into us, but we may return nothing to them. Thirdly we should have relationships that are equal sharing. That is friendship.

All three are important, but only the latter is friendship. The first is our ministry to someone else, the second is someone's ministry to you. Only the third is true friendship.

I need to nurture the friendships I have. I need to be looking for others whom I may be able to minister to without expecting anything in return. I need to seek others to pour into me even if I have nothing to offer them.

By doing these very things in previous seasons, God nurtured and grew these ministry opportunities into the friendships I have today. Thank you God for the opportunity to minister, for the blessings of being ministered to, and for the precious gift of friendship.