“The friends we choose determine the direction of our lives.”
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A faculty meeting at Merton College in March of 1926 was the starting point of a remarkable friendship between C.S. Lewis and J.R. Tolkein. The two shared a love for literature and writing and eventually Tolkein shared his stories of Middle Earth with his friend.
Tokein’s deep faith was the topic of many conversations with atheistic Clive Staples Lewis.
After 5 years of friendship and an especially important night time conversation between Tolkein and Lewis in September of 1931, Lewis was converted to Christianity. (http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/2003/issue78/11.36.html)
Lewis’ life was greatly influenced by his friend. Not only did he become a Christian but he was also fascinated by Tolkein’s fantasy and began to write tales that wove together Christianity and the mysterious and beautiful world of Narnia.
The world continues to benefit today from the wonderful relationship that began in a faculty meeting 85 years ago.
Our children’s friendships are important. They can either spur them on to become all God meant them to be or construct an obstacle to their spiritual and emotional growth. They can lead them to develop their spiritual and natural gifts or cause them to take a tragic detour.
Their friends can bring them great joy and support or drain and sadden them.
Today, let’s pray that
- Our grandchildren will have discernment and choose friends carefully- Proverbs 12:26
- Our grandchildren will avoid relationships with “angry” people - Proverbs 22:24
- Our grandchildren will avoid all morally negative relationships – I Corinthians 15:33
- Our grandchildren will be blessed with caring and loyal friends for a lifetime – Proverbs 17:17
- Our grandchildren will see Jesus Christ as their dearest friend – John 15:15
Heavenly Father,
We thank you for the caring, loyal and steadfast friendship you have shown to us. We pray, Lord, that first and foremost our children will see You as their Friend.
We ask that the eyes of their hearts would be enlightened and that they would have great discernment in choosing friends.
We earnestly pray that you would bring into each of their lives a caring, supportive and moral friend who will help them to become all you want them to be. May their lives be graced with a friend who lends a hand, dries a tear, makes them laugh and always points them to Jesus.
And, Lord, allow them to be that kind of friend to another.
Finally, we pray that you will help us to be careful to not criticize their friends but to offer gentle guidance and encouragement and make our homes a place where healthy friendships can flourish.
Amen
