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Recently, Xi Jinping, the leader of China, held a video call with U.S. President Joe Biden. Xi greeted Biden as an “old friend.” This was after President Biden had publicly denied they were friends, saying, “Let’s get something straight. We know each other well; we’re not old friends. It’s just pure business.” I guess things can be a bit confusing in diplomacy!
This also reminds me of the human tendency to claim friendship with important people. Have you every known someone who says a celebrity is a friend? When you check it out, you realize they don’t know each other at all. Maybe the celebrity greeted them at a party or function, but they don’t spend time together!
People even do this with God. Many claim to be friends with God, but they don’t really know him. In fact, some people who claim to be friends with God may actually hate him! Confused? James 4:4 makes it pretty clear, “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” (NIV)
Many people don’t like this verse. They want to have it all. They want to be friends with the world and with God. But it’s just not possible. Today, if you want to be a friend with God, spend time with him rather than doing worldly things.
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Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.