As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. Proverbs 27:17
Paul loved his friends. In his day, he had to write letters. For us today, we have social media and smartphones to easily stay in contact with each other. There is something special about handwriting letters and mailing them off in the mail. I think I like the privacy of letters. No worries about emails, or text or message apps getting hacked. A few years ago, my husband and I started writing letters to each other. I would mail my letters to his workplace and he would mail his letters to me from his workplace to our home address. I so looked forward to receiving mail and reading what my husband wanted to share with me. In Paul’s day’s, personal greeting in letters were important. Have you ever notice in all of his letters how he opens and closes his letters?
Read Romans 16: 1-16
God’s word and people’s soul are the two things that will last forever. Paul expressed his appreciation for his friends in his letters, an art that I believe we don’t do very often. In his closing remarks of Romans, Paul greeted numerous of his friends, two households, and three in home churches. Not only was he a leader, but he was also a friend maker. Can you find two people in the passage? How did he know them and what personal comment did he share? Is there anything that stood out to you from Paul’s greeting?
Paul greeted women and men, however, there were a lot of women he greeted and noted their faith in God. He encouraged his friends in his letter. How often do you encourage your friends that are in your life? Let’s take a moment and identify some of our friends to those of Paul’s. Who in your life is like a Phoebe in your life. A church leader who is worthy of honor and has been helpful to you? Can you identify a Priscilla and Aquila in your life? A co-worker or peer who has a similar position in life as you and a similar heart for ministry? For example, Priscilla, Aquila, and Paul were tentmakers. How about a dear friend like Epernetus was to Paul? How about a friend’s mother, someone who is not your mother but has been like a mother in your life? Was this hard or easy? If you have found that you have any one of these kinds of friends take a moment and write them a letter, encouraging them on how special they are in your life.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the relationships you have placed in our lives. I pray that we won’t take them for granted but appreciate them for who they are. I pray that we will take the time to express our love for them today.
In Jesus Name Amen
