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 learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:15
“Pathetic people who simply ‘want friends’ can never make any. The very condition of having Friends is that we should want something else besides Friends. Where the truthful answer to the question Do you see the same truth? would be ‘I see nothing and I don’t care about the truth; I only want a Friend’, no Friendship can arise — though Affection of course may. There would be nothing for the Friendship to be about; and Friendship must be about something, even if it were only an enthusiasm for dominoes or white mice. Those who have nothing can share nothing; those who are going nowhere can have no fellow travelers.”
C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) in The Four Loves (New York: HarperCollins, 1960) 85. Our pastor, James Hoxworth, quoted from The Four Loves on Sunday, so I was inspired to revisit this classic work.
Consider the gravity of these ideas: “Friendship must be about something… Those who have nothing can share nothing; those who are going nowhere can have no fellow travelers.” Is your focus dominoes or white mice? Though I don’t fancy white mice, I love to play dominoes with friends and neighbors (though travel has limited time for that lately). But Lewis is right. Life is bigger than such things.
What does this have to do with generosity? If you generously put to work all you are and all you linked to the Master’s business and two things will happen. Firstly, you will experience the abundant life Jesus promised, and secondly, you will find Friends, real Friends. And I guess if there’s a third thing, it’s that you will avoid ‘pathetic’. Some may think I aim too high, but as God opens doors, I want to spread biblical teaching across the world.
Today I fly to Cairo, Egypt to spend time with a few dear Friends. I will let them remain nameless for safety purposes. They are convening a multi-day gathering of about 75 leading pastors and ministry administrators. I get to bring them greeting and offer a biblical perspective on generosity, fundraising, and accountability over three days. My fellow traveler will be my daughter, Sophie. She will offer priceless support and prayers.
Please pray for a safe and fruitful trip for us. Thanks.