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Every family has one… that certain kid who gets injured and banged up more than their fair share. That one who spends the majority of your family’s health care budget on their copay needs because, for whatever reason, accidents mysteriously, regularly, and relentlessly hunt them down and throw a good bit of hurt on them. In our family, this person is my oldest son, Preston.
We’d been up, down, and all around when it comes to Preston’s breaks, bandages, and bruises. So, it was a bit old-hat to be sitting in a small examination room winters ago, waiting to see the doctor about yet another injury.
This one happened in gym class at school.
Preston climbed up a rope, made it to the top, and then had the bright idea to let go of the rope instead of scaling down safely.
Brilliant.
He broke his big toe… in the middle of his basketball season.
The doctor looked over the x-rays and, in spite of the break, had good news for us: Preston only had a hairline fracture in his toe. It would heal quickly. He would be immobilized in a funky orthopedic shoe for a week or two, and then he would be able to play basketball again as soon as the pain subsided.
As the appointment ended, the doctor told Preston that once he was able to put weight on his foot, he would need to use a “buddy strap.” The strap would hold his broken toe snugly to the healthy toe right beside it for support.
A nurse then handed my son a few black Velcro strips and explained that he should wear them to play basketball as soon as his pain was manageable. The support of the buddy straps would help him get back in the game quickly.
Wow. The similarities between buddy straps and friendships are compelling.
There are times when my heart or circumstances are fractured. Each wound and challenge threaten to keep me immobilized both emotionally and spiritually. When this happens, it’s best if I take it to the Lord in prayer first, then buddy-strap my heart to a few godly girlfriends.
“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NLT).
We need each other as Christian women.
Because we all get hurt and struggle.
Christian friends pray for each other, speak wisdom to each other, and offer encouragement over each other.
Friends help each other up when one is down.
Friendship will look different for each of us, but it might look like babysitting for that single mom for free or helping her by carpooling her kids to school. It could look like listening as you walk together, dropping off a meal, or sending a card to let her know she’s loved and seen.
Let’s ask the Lord to help us be the type of friends who speak life, truth, grace and hope to those around us.
“As iron sharpens iron, so one man [or woman] sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17).
Dear Lord, thank You for giving me access to unending grace and supernatural strength through Your Son, Jesus Christ. You are my Strong Tower, my Refuge, my Shelter, my Help, and my Hope. I’m grateful that when my days are filled with hurt and struggles You are right beside me. Please help me encourage my friends with grace, hope and truth today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
FOR YOUR REFLECTION and RESPONSE
Who is someone you know needs encouragement today?
Think of a few girlfriends who have been your buddy-straps, then pause to pray for each of them. Bless them today. Send a card or an email. Forward this devotion to them! Text them or post on their social media wall. Connect to say thanks.