Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.  Proverbs 27:6 KJV

Thinking to myself as I went to the ladies room to wash the ink from my fingertips: 

Our dream of helping broken teens is coming true.  This is it Lord, isn’t it?   This job as house parents could be ours.  Why would they do background checks if we weren’t a shoe in?

I floated down the hall and back into the conference room where the Assistant Director waited for us to return.

He leaned forward with a concerned look on his face, 

Excuse me, Mrs. Jones your skirt is tucked into the back of your underwear.

I blinked really hard, swallowed my pride, and fixed the situation, 

THANK YOU for telling me the harder truth.  You are a real friend.

God’s Word gives us many portraits of genuine friendships in the Bible. 

David and Jonathan.  Ruth and Naomi. The 1st century church.

My favorite picture of a friend is Jesus.  Paul puts it this way, 

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 NIV

No one likes to be called a sinner because most of the time we are clueless of our own shortcomings.  When my skirt was tucked into my britches, I had no idea there was a problem.  That is until a loving man with the light of Christ showed me.

When Jesus told the Samaritan woman the harder truth, He did three things for her.

He went ahead of her to meet her where she was at.  The text says that Jesus was waiting for her when she came at noon to do her daily chores.  Typically women would draw water in the morning.  Jesus was there to meet her as she tried to hide the shame of her sinful life from the raised eyebrows of her neighbors.  

He lovingly confirmed her heart problem.   When Jesus offered the eternal water to her, she responded positively.  However, before He fully revealed Himself to her, He gently told her the harder truth, “You are a desperate woman whose life is a mess.”

He invited her into the space of His grace.  As soon as she acknowledged her sin, Jesus revealed Himself to her and invited the outsider to become an insider.

She responded to Jesus’ harder truth by believing and testifying.  What is your response to the still small voice telling you the truth?

Spirit:  Quiet yourself before God.  Meditate on Psalm 51.  Can you hear His invitation?  Will you choose to believe?  What do you need to acknowledge and renounce about your life?

Mind:  Journal your response to the questions above.  Start a relationship with Jesus…click here

Body:  Take a walk and pray through your response.

Lord, thank You for going ahead of us desperate women and meeting us right where we are at—mentally, physically, and emotionally.  Encourage each heart reading this post to have a deeply intimate relationship with You.  Woo each woman to Your sacred, beautiful and holy heart.  In Jesus Name, I pray.  Amen.‍