Time with a Friend

Bible Reading: Psalm 27:1-3; Isaiah 41:10

“It seems like so many of the guys just want to play basketball all the time,” complained Mason one afternoon. “Clayton and I always did stuff together, but now he spends more time with other kids than with me!” As Mom started to speak, Mason reached into his backpack and changed the subject. “I got an A on my math test!” he announced with a grin. “Since I did so well, can I have an extra half-hour of TV tonight? There’s a quiz show that’s fun to watch.”

“All right,” said Mom. “But first do your homework—and your Bible reading too. We all agreed to read and think about a few verses each day, remember?”

“Okay, Mom,” said Mason as he hurried off.

Soon Mason returned to the family room and turned on the TV. “Is all your work done already?” asked Mom. “Bible reading too?”

Mason frowned. “Well, um…I’ll read it later,” he said.

Mom turned the TV off. “That wasn’t the agreement.”

“But, Mom, reading the Bible is…” Mason hesitated. “It’s kinda boring.”

Mom sat on the couch beside Mason. “Are you happy when Clayton goes off to play with other guys instead of spending time with you?” she asked.

“No,” said Mason. “Of course not.”

“Friends want to spend time together, doing things or just talking. We call that having fellowship with one another,” Mom explained. “We should also have fellowship with Jesus. We should spend time with Him—talking with Him and listening to what He says to us.”

“I guess so,” Mason replied. “But won’t Jesus know I’m sort of bored?”

Mom smiled. “If Jesus were standing here and wanted to tell you something, would you want to hear it?” Mason nodded. “Well, He has something to say to you, and He speaks through His Word,” said Mom. “The Bible is His story, and reading it is one of the best ways to spend time with Jesus and learn more about Him. Try reading it with that in mind. You might discover it’s not so boring after all.” She glanced at the clock. “Let’s look at our Bible verses together. Then I’ll fix some popcorn for us to munch on while we watch the quiz show.”

–Jennifer Dorsey