The Bystander Effect…

The greater the number of bystanders, the less likely it is that any one of them will help an individual in an emergency situation.  This to me describes most christians, we tend to get together and have tons of fun together but when it is “Good Samaritan Time” we are suddenly very busy with our lives.  This also describes many friendships… these days true friendships are difficult to find, Over the years I have become increasingly aware that the sacrifices that we make for our friends may never be reciprocated… So many times I have gone above and beyond for a friend completely convinced that they would do the same for me… Only to find that when the time came and I needed somone to be there for me… no one was there…   I adopted the saying… ” I just want a friend that is as good a friend to me as I am to them” It became a real source of pain for me… I constantly felt let down and abandoned…

One day I received a message from a friend begging me to give them some of my time… just to talk. I had let a few calls go to voicmail, and not answered a few emails… and this message was a loving rebuke that maybe I should spend less time focused on my latest obsessions and remember my friends.  Suddenly it struck me… I had become the type of friend that I was always disapointed in…

what kind of friend are you? If others are standing around do you step out for your friends?  do you sacrifice your time for your friends? Do you serve your friends as well as they serve you?

What about the people around you that are hurting?   do you take time to talk? or pray? do you take a chance and say something?

or are you just a bystander contributing to the effect?