True Love and Fake Friends

Earlier I was watching a band video from 11th grade. I saw so many pictures of people from high school that were in band but I can’t remember any of their names. Their faces bring so much joy to my heart and I wish I could remember at least something about them. I spent so much time with these people, how can I not remember them?

Sometimes in my day dreams I wonder what it would be like to go back in time and relive different portions of my life, usually from middle school or high school, where a majority of “life altering” moments took place. I think about different decisions I could have made to make my time spent more fulfilling or successful. Usually this comes down to making wiser choices in friendships or relationships, thinking more carefully before I speak, getting better grades, having better attendance…etc. I have even come up with different ways of doing my hair or make-up, in order to avoid the mistake-filled learning process that is adolescence.

There is an underlying theme in each of these thoughts and that is selfishness. One would wonder how I could even remember those friends’ faces in the midst of being so focused on myself.

Today I have one regret for my time in middle school and high school: I did not grow in love towards God and towards others. I grew in love for myself. I need revelation from the Lord to know how deep this mindset of selfishness runs inside of me.

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:3-5

Did Jesus really “esteem others better than himself”?

“He made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:7-8

How can I not remember all of those people from just a few years ago? Because I didn’t love any of them. I went through all of high school not learning to love one of them.

In John 13, after Jesus washed his disciples’ feet (including Judas’ feet, knowing he would betray Him), He said this:
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

A couple chapters later in John 15, Jesus also tells us, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

Have you grown in love today? If you haven’t, you have just wasted a day of your life.