Good morning, My Dear Friends,
Several years ago, a widely known American retired from a long career in business and public life. At a dinner held in his honor, the man made a brief address in which he reflected across his life, during which he claimed that he could actually take little credit for his success. “I am indebted to some magnificent friends,” the man declared. “There are friends I see regularly, there are those I will see no more, and there are friends I have never seen.” I believe most of us share this man’s experience. Much of what we accomplish in life we owe to our friends.
Think, for instance, about the friends we see regularly. I once heard an old saying which I think is true: “The best way to solve any problem is to talk it over with three people: God, yourself, and a friend.” Fortunate indeed is the person who has someone with whom the difficulties of life can be shared.
Back in the days of the Roman Empire, the legions of the emperor conquered the known world. There was, however, one band of people the Romans never subdued. These people were the followers of Jesus, the Messiah from Bethlehem. One of the reasons for the sturdiness of these folks was their habit of meeting together weekly. They shared their difficulties and stood side by side. In doing so, they found the courage to defy the Roman armies. In the end, Rome did not conquer the early Christians; the early Christians conquered Rome. Hard times are easy to handle if you don’t have to handle them alone.
Think, too, about the friends we will see no more. In the Old Testament there is a story about a king named Saul. Saul was facing a critical hour in his reign and needed assistance. He remembered an old friend whose name was Samuel. One of the tragic scenes of history is that of Saul standing one dark night in Samuel’s hometown, muttering to his servants, “Bring me back Samuel.” But Samuel was dead, and Saul had lost a trusted friend.
All of us are indebted to folk who have inspired us and guided us on our way who are with us no more. It may have been a parent, a teacher, a business associate, or a neighbor. These people came into our lives at critical moments and made the difference between success and failure. Time may have taken these people from us, but their influence still lingers. We owe a lot to friends we will never see again.
Finally, there are friends we have never seen. One of my favorite places to visit in Washington, D.C. is Arlington National Cemetery, the resting place of some of the great leaders of our land. One of the best-known memorials there is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. On the grave marker is this inscription: “Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known only to God.” They keep a continuous honor guard there, and rightly so. We need to be reminded of our debt to the Unknown Ones — the people we never see. We each stand on the shoulders of countless people who have gone before us. We are the recipients of countless gifts from the past.
The words from that retirement dinner are profoundly true. Most of what we are, and what we have, we owe to magnificent friends. Some of these people we see every day, some we will not see again, and some we will never see. May we always remember these friends with immense gratitude.
Let us pass on to others something of what we have received,
Bruce Jones, Pastor
Imagine Church
