A few months ago I read a poem called “The Loved Friend.” Unfortunately, I can’t find that poem anywhere (I have searched far and wide for it) so I’ll give you a summary.

The Loved Friend talked about what it means to be the friend who cares for everyone and how everyone loves that friend because of how they care for people, but nobody actually cares or tends to the Loved Friend. They are taken for granted and because of that, it slowly wears them down.

Have you ever been this friend? The one who listens when someone needs to rant, but never gets the chance to let their own emotions out? The one who plans things for others but never gets a special day planned for them? The one who always gives but never receives?

Well let me tell you: being the Loved Friend is hard. You start doing more for others with the hope that they will do it in return.

Did you know that Jesus could be interpreted as the Loved Friend?

One of His closest friends, Judas Iscariot, betrayed Him and basically took advantage of Jesus confiding in him, He (Judas) used Jesus’ life as a way to get money—but it was money that was equal to the price of a slave, not very much. And although Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him—because of the plan of the cross—it still didn’t make it hurt less.

Another story in the Bible, in Luke 17:11-19, Jesus meets ten lepers. He heals all of them, but instead of committing themselves to Him or repaying Him, or even just thanking Him, they all…left. Which, actually, was fair because they were going to show themselves to the priests so that they would be deemed clean and able to rejoin society after being outcasts. However, one of them returned to Jesus and threw himself at His feet, thanking Him. (Fun fact: he was a Samaritan.)

The other nine men took Jesus’ love and healing for granted.

Now, these two specific stories might seem depressing and sad: why is it encouraging that Jesus was the Loved Friend at times? Why is it nice to know that He was taken for granted?

Because He knows what being taken for granted for feels like and He empathizes with the pain that you feel.

Jesus is not a cold-hearted, unsympathetic person. He is a caring, empathic Father. When you hurt, He hurts because you are His child.

When you see a friend hurting, do you ever hurt with them? Maybe it’s because you two are inseparable or maybe it’s because you are the Loved Friend, always hurting with others but then often hurting alone.

Let me tell you this: you are not the only one hurting, even if you are hurting alone. There are so many people who feel the same way you feel and although sometimes you think you are 100% alone in this, you are not.

Yessiree, you are not alone! You’ve got a) Jesus who can empathize with you, b) the person beside you who can empathize with you, c) and probably everyone else in the world who can empathize with you.

It doesn’t matter how put-together they look, and it doesn’t matter how put-together you look—we all hurt at some point and at some point we will be whole again, not just on the outside but on the inside as well.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalms 34:18 NIV

I hope this was encouraging to you! Have a great Sunday, I’m praying for you all.
~Willow