You Find Out Who Your Friends Are

I listen to country music every now and then. One of my favorite new songs is Tracy Lawrence's You Find Out Who Your Friends Are. It's a song about a guy in need and how his need brings to light the true nature of friendship. A person I really trust told me that when you go through something really horrible you will probably be left with very few friends. Those friends are real, however. Tracy Lawrence says that the hour of real need is when, "the truth don't lie." That's pretty biblical when you stop and think about it.

Job snapped at one of his good time buddies, "In the thought of one who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune..." (Job 12:5a ESV). It is in the seasons of misfortune that the truth don't lie. This is what James called pure and undefiled religion. Authenticity is tested by life.

I talked to many church members last week about their ministry with hurting people. We are hosting a mission team this week from all over this country. We are planning work in Trinidad. We hosted a meeting for Wesley House today that included Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, and Episcopal ministers. We were working to meet the needs of our neighbors in a collective way. God using us to meet the needs of our community and this must increase. The credibility of the gospel is at stake and the truth don't lie.