Focal Passage: Exodus 20:15-17; Psalm 37:1-6
What do you look for in a best friend? For many of us, when we are looking for a friend, we look for someone who will be there. Someone who will treat you right, who will not steal from you.
My oldest, best friend and I met 24 years ago. When I was a senior in high school, he prayed for me to come to know Christ. We had a great friendship, but he knew Christ is who I really needed in my life. I graduated from high school 10 years ago. The people I still talk to from high school all have one thing in common. They were people who encouraged me in my walk with Christ.
When we look at the last three commandments, we see how we are to have God-honoring relationships. You shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness and you shall not covet; how do we live these out?
Those first two call us to be people of integrity in actions and speech. In our actions, we are not to steal from people. Theft is a quick and immediate way to destroy trust. The same is true of our speech. If we lie about others, why would they have anything to do with us?
The final commandment is very hard. Many of us want to “keep up with the Joneses.” When we see our friends get a new car or build a new house, we often want what they have. Yet we need to learn to find contentment in what God provides.
These last three commandments point us to the kind of relationships we should have with all people.