Books Jesus Read

Resources for Application

209

We read in the Gospels that while Jesus was accepting of all sorts of people, he was intentional about which friendships he developed. From among the multitudes who would follow him, he picked twelve disciples. Then, from his twelve disciples, he had an inner circle of friends—Peter, James, and John—who were permitted to witness firsthand with Jesus such highs as the Transfiguration (Matt 17:1; Mark 9:2; Luke 9:28) and such lows as Jesus’ arrest in Gethsemane (Mark 14:33; see also Mark 5:37; Luke 8:51). How do you choose your friends? Are you intentional about both playing and praying together? Go back and reexamine the wisdom in chapter eight. Do your friendships fit the Apocrypha’s picture of spiritual friendship?