Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!” 47 And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people. 48 The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss.” 49 So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss. 50 Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.” Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. Matthew 26:45-50 (NLT)
Isn't it interesting that in verse 46 Jesus refers to Judas as his 'betrayer' and then turns around in verse 50 and calls him 'friend'?!!? The word 'friend' is the Greek word hetairos (he-tī'-ros) and it means 'kindly address'...almost like a formality. We know that Jesus was aware of what had to happen and I believe that He discerned Judas' intentions as Judas approached. I totally agree with what Ms. Omartian says about parents having that "gut-level" feeling when it comes to our children's friends. I don't apologize for it and I'll admit I haven't always discerned every 'friend' but believe me when I say; when I do get that feeling...I'm usually right! God has even showed me, in dreams, things about those connected to my children and I don't take it lightly. I've never let my children play with just anybody and overnight stays are only approved after I've done a thorough background investigation (paralegal and court background come in handy). Call me snooty, snobbish and overprotective all you want, but the ones that hurt us most are usually the ones we allow closest to us...the ones we call 'friend'.
On the other hand, James 2:24 says; "And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God." Unlike hetairos, the word for 'friend' in James 2:24 is philos (fē'-los) which translated means "dear to God, peculiarly favored with His intimacy". Using this as the standard, anyone claiming to be a friend to my children, need to have his/her best interest at heart. The friend should challenge him/her if he/she is wrong; the friend should hold him/her accountable and most importantly, the friend should be a philos of God as well.
Lord, as we strive to raise our children in Your word and to walk according to Your spirit; help us to always discern and pray for our children's friends. We know that friendship with the world is hatred toward You. Therefore, if any of our children's friends are connected with, revel in or cling to the world; we pray that the door to the relationship be closed! We declare that our children will godly friendships with persons after Your own heart. We declare that our children will have friends that "sharpen" them in the word of God. John 15:13-16 says, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I have learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you..." Thank you for choosing us and calling us friend...You are the friend who sticks closer than a brother. In Jesus name, Amen!
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