Jesus is the best friend you never had. Jesus, your High Priest, has the heart of a true friend! Here are five reasons why:
(1) A true friend must be as real as you are. Not someone who doesn’t know what it is like to be human. Jesus Christ is no angel. He is better than that. He is human as well as divine. Angels may be curious about us but the Son of Man is one of us.
(2) A true friend always builds you up and never pulls you down. Some friends want you to build them up by putting yourself down. But Jesus builds you up and into his household, the Church, which is a house of love and unconditional acceptance, not one of rules and regulations (Hebrews 3:6). The heart of your High Priest feels the pain you feel. He intercedes to God for you. You have no better friend than Jesus.
(3) A true friend is not critical of your weak points, knowing that every person has some. Those critical of others are blind to their own faults. Jesus was faultless. He had his Father’s nature, which was perfect, and although tempted never gave in to temptation. Jesus knows you better than you know yourself, and offers his perfection to God, not your imperfections. He is the spotless Lamb of God who was closely inspected by Pontius Pilate, who said three times: “I find no fault in him.” (John 18:38; 19:4, 6)
(4) A true friend has learned from hurtful experiences. Some who have been badly hurt in life seek to get close to someone who has been hurt less, so they can feel better about themselves. (“I know what you are feeling but I’ve been through worse!”) Jesus learned obedience by suffering, and ministers out of his perfection — he has no need to be healed himself. He is a mature Son who has become the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him. God has given him the title of High Priest, with the rank of Melchizedek (Hebrews 5:8-10), which means “King of Righteousness.”
(5) A true friend seeks to be your friend for life. And seeing you through hard times is simply what a faithful friend does. Jesus is able to save to the “uttermost”: as far as you need him to save you, because he lives forever and intercedes to the Father for you (Hebrews 7:25).
Jesus will be your friend if you ask him: the Best friend you never had not only through this life but beyond it — in endless eternity!