I made a friend a few months ago. It began as a Bible Study friend but emerged into something more than just an acquaintance as I began learning about her situation and spending time with her. She has had a personal battle to go through as we’ve been studying together. She expressed her love for me as a friend one day when she was questioned about our relationship. She weighed everything she had experienced with the growth and guidance and comfort that I afforded her in her worst moments just the same as when she was in her best moments.

I began to ponder about the meaning of the word friendship; the state of being friends. What does this really mean? As I looked it up on my little app called “offline dictionaries,” I was amazed at the super simple definition that I found there. Both of my definitions come from www.wiktionary.com

I looked up a couple of words to get a deeper glimpse into their function and meaning.

1. Friendship is in the simplest terms stated as “Good Will” according to Wiktionary.
2. Good Will is “Friendly, helpful, or cooperative feelings or attitude.”

Jesus came to seek the good will of the people of earth. In fact, I love the way His mission is described in Luke 2:14. An innumerable amount of angels revealed themselves to the shepherds in the fields declaring the mission of Jesus. They said, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth, peace, goodwill toward men.” In His great love and grace which is to His glory, His angels presented the peace of God to the shepherds of the earth in the same way that Jesus taught His disciples to greet the people of the earth as they traveled door to door and person to person. Jesus instructed them to greet the people with the statement, “Peace to you.” As they entered the houses on their journeys.

The next part of the statement is “Good will toward men.” I like to say it as “Good Will to people.” Because the word for men in this place is a word that is used for mankind which is inclusive of both men and women. So, we have this greeting that includes us as Daughters of God as a hope and as a mission in our lives to do as Jesus’ mission which is to seek the good will of the people of the earth. That is what brings glory to God in the highest…and in the highest form.

As Daughters of the living and highest God, we have such a beautiful mission that is given to us. We have the honor of greeting the people of the earth in the peace and good will of God. So as I have been seeking the good will of my friend, Martha, I have been fully involved in the mission of God for a woman who feels that she has received the kind of love that only God can give.