Friendship

Friendship

A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth.

Luke 1:39-40

Think about your close friendships. What are some of the ingredients that make them special? My list includes common values, enjoyable companionship, mutual respect, shared circumstances, and exchanged confidences.

In Luke 1 we read that during the months before and after the births of John the Baptist and Jesus, Elizabeth and Mary formed a special friendship based first on their common values. The Bible explains that Elizabeth was obedient to God’s Word. And in Mary’s reaction to the angel’s announcement, we see evidence of her humility, belief in God, and willingness to be his servant.

The circumstances these women shared were remarkably similar. Both women’s pregnancies were announced by angels, and both were unusual—Elizabeth’s because she was old, and Mary’s because she was a virgin. Both women were obedient to God and were willing to be his servants.

I like how Luke described the way Mary “hurried” to the town where Elizabeth lived. That’s how it is when we enjoy the companionship of another woman—we can’t wait to share our news!

Mary and Elizabeth must have had many cups of tea and hours of deep conversation as they shared the secrets of their own experiences—the angels, the announcements, the wonder, and the pregnancies. The mutual respect between these two women was fascinating. If they had been petty or selfish women, there might have been some jealousy. But instead we find Elizabeth, who was full of God’s Spirit, blessing Mary, and Mary, who was full of belief, praising God. They were truly soul mates whose souls were aligned first with God and then with each other. These two women of faith left an exquisite example of Christian friendship for us today.

Father,

Thank you for the companionship, respect, shared circumstances, and confidences modeled in the friendship of Mary and Elizabeth. Please provide us with the blessing of Christian friends and give us grace to be the best friend we can be. Amen.