Jesus makes a very good best friend

Do you have a friend? A really good friend — someone you might call your best friend?

It's good to have friends. But how do you know if a person is your friend? What might they do?

They might play with you. Share food and toys. Visit you, or invite you to their place. They might help when you need it. Sit with you when you are sad and maybe try to cheer you up.

A friend who came when it mattered

Jesus makes a very good best friend. In today's Bible story, from John chapter 11, we hear how Jesus helped his friends when they were sad.

Jesus' friends Mary and Martha were heartbroken because their brother Lazarus had died. And what did Jesus do? He came to visit them. He sat with them. He cried with them. Then he was able to help them in a very special way — he brought Lazarus back to life.

That's the kind of friend Jesus is.

Kind hands

When I was small, I was taught a song about Jesus and how he helped people. It goes like this:

Jesus' hands were kind hands, doing good to all,
Healing pain and sickness, blessing children small,
Washing tired feet, and saving those who fall.
Jesus' hands were kind hands, doing good to all.

This song tells us the kind of things that Jesus does — the kind of things a friend might do.

Our hands too

Jesus likes it when we help others too. We can help people by picking up something that has been dropped. Or helping carry something that is too heavy for one person. Or taking our plates to the sink after our meal. Or tidying up our toys when we finish playing.

It's even helpful if we do things when we are asked — without grumbling.

There's another verse in that little song I learned when I was small. It talks about helping others, about what we can do with our hands:

Take my hands, Lord Jesus, let them work for you.
Make them strong or gentle, kind in all I do.
Let me watch you, Jesus, till I'm gentle too,
Till my hands are kind hands, quick to work for you.

Something to think about

I wonder what you can do to help other people this week. Whose hands could you be kind with? What would it look like if your hands did the same sorts of things Jesus' hands did?