One New Friendship
Another teacher quickly took me under his wing. Doug Bingeman loved to hunt and fish and was the Moore Bulldogs' biggest fan. I was a first year teacher and Doug gave me a lot of sound advice. He also LOVED a practical joke, and was somewhat famous with both students and staff for his classroom antics.
Doug reminded us all that working hard and having fun were not mutually exclusive. He did both, and quickly became my first true friend in Montana. We all know that having a good friend is not a small thing. In fact, a large percentage of American adults say that they WISH they had ONE good friend.
Jesus modeled this for us. He spent his three years of ministry sharing life with a small group of friends. But don't miss this critical piece- he INITIATED those friendships! He didn't sit in the house or walk along a lonely path muttering, "I wish I had a friend." He walked up to strangers- people who didn't know him- and invited them to join him. He also had a plan. He had something in mind for them to do.
This is especially important for men, who tend to bond through shared activities rather than conversation. For men, the conversation comes slowly... in pieces... over time. So I have a challenge for you: Either initiate ONE NEW FRIENDSHIP today (make a plan for sometime this week) or revive an old friendship. YOU initiate, YOU make the plan, and YOU (and the other person) will be blessed! -Pastor Brad
Written on July 16, 2025
Posted in Daily Devotions