LONELY TODAY? 

By Dr. Michael Sprague

LONELINESS is the greatest poverty of our times…at least according to Mother Teresa.

I remember when these feelings hit me like a ton of bricks. As I led a sharing time in a service packed with people, a young woman stood up and in tears described the value of a significant friendship with another woman. She told of how they carved out a weekly time for sharing and praying for each other. The instant I heard the story, I knew that was what I needed. The old saying is, “As a pastor you are everyone’s friend, sort of, but no one’s friend, really.” Though I had many friends, I realized I was largely on the giving side of things and not allowing others to build into my life. I wasn’t actively cultivating relationships that would go to deeper levels of authenticity, openness, and sharpening.

With fear and trepidation, I approached a few friends and told them what I was thinking. I half expected them to think I was turning wimpy, but each said, “That’s what I need as well.” We decided to meet once a week. It wasn’t a Bible study but a round table conversation where we addressed the following questions: “What’s going on with God, spouse, kids, money, job, and your soul?” We took a chance, banned together, and for almost ten years, it was life-giving.

My all time favorite cartoon is about the power of friendship…two frames. In the first, you see a thief with a mask pointing a gun toward a frightened man and saying, “Put all your valuables into this sack!” In the second frame you see the man stuffing all his friends into the sack.

Do you know the value of the right kind of friendships to your soul? Interestingly, the Gospels record only thirty-one days of ministry in the life of Jesus. What happened in the other days? Lots of walking, talking, time by a fire, hanging out with friends. They learned the value of friendship.

Who’s your mentor? Who listens? Who replenishes you? Who protects you? Who makes you laugh? Who will confront you? Who is the friend you can call at 3 a.m. in an emergency? Who plays with you? Who? More importantly, are you being this kind of friend to someone else? Proverbs 18:24b says, “There is a friend that sticks closer than a brother”.

Dr. Michael Sprague is the Louisiana State Chaplain with the Capitol Commission and President of Grace Adventures. Michael does life with his wonderful wife Donna and resides in Mandeville, LA. His motto is “Bet the Farm on God.” You can find more information about Michael here.

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