I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.

John 15:15

Growing up I was “generally” well behaved.  I was not much for getting into mischief.  The only exception was when I was together with some of my more rebellious friends.  On my list of foolish mistakes of my youth most of them took place when I allowed myself to be influenced by my friends.  True friendship is hard to find.  As human beings we need close relationships.  Many of the decisions that are made during our youth are made because of this longing.  Commitment to Christ is commonly compromised in order to find a place to belong.  The influence of peers have caused many to lay down their cross.  However, the reverse can be said as well.  The blessings of faithful Christian friends are the greatest treasure of my teen years.  We regularly studied the Bible together, prayed together, and found ways to serve others as we sought to dedicate our lives to Jesus.  The Bible was not something we read, it was something we did.  Our peers saw us as “Jesus Freaks” because we would rather have a Bible study than go to a wild party.  When everyone else was trying to sow his or her “wild oats” we had already come to realize that God had something better to offer.

Imagine what it must have been like for the disciples to hear Jesus call them his friends.  For over three years they had dedicated their lives to following Jesus.  They left everything behind to become students and servants of the greatest master.  But, whatever is sacrificed in order to grow closer to Christ is rewarded far beyond what is lost.  They were transformed because of a friend who loved them.  This was a love that they had never experienced before.  Jesus told them, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).  There is only one Jesus, but he has blessed all those who would trust him and keep his word with this bond of friendship.  He has asked us to love the same way.  The world needs more friends transformed by the love of Jesus.