Recollections of My Life on Urantia - Part 10 - Michael of Nebadon - Friendship - Aug 14, 2014 - Philippines Teaching Mission

Teacher: Michael of Nebadon
Recollections of My Life on Urantia - Part 10
Teacher: Michael of Nebadon
T/R: Evan Mariano
August 14

Friendship

Michael of Nebadon: 

When I was in Palestine preaching with the apostles it was a time of great joy for me.  We made a happy group and they were always solicitous of me.  They made sure I was properly fed, clothed and cheerful.  Peter especially was quite gregarious in the sense that he was a good talker, very vocal about his thoughts and feelings and just expressed his point of view whenever he wanted to.  The other apostles were not as outspoken as Peter.

When Peter and I went out to fish which was often, we would have a great time because he loved to tell jokes and relate stories about other people.  He was what you would call a ‘gossip monger’.   He would make fun of people he found ridiculous especially well-known figures at that time.   You can imagine how much we enjoyed each other’s company.

Friendship is something that human beings should always cultivate.  Having a good time with friends is one of the best things in life.  A best friend, even if it is only one person in your life, is a real blessing.  Peter was that to me.  He wanted to make me happy and he loved me very much.  When I was arrested by the soldiers of Herod he was beside himself with grief.  He didn’t know what to do and he was scared to death of Herod.

It was a difficult time for all of us.  John, James, Nathaniel and Matthew became depressed and fearful.  They wanted to do something but knew they could be arrested too.  I told them to stay away from the proceedings because I knew it was going to be devastating for all of them.  These feelings of grief, sadness or desperation come from tragedies in life that you must share with friends if the occasion calls for it.

I am telling you this because I want to impart to you and to others how hard it was for me to leave my friends behind.  I actually knew that death would relieve me from the apathy I sometimes felt from crowds who went to hear me only because of the healings I performed,  and because I knew about my Divine origins by that time.  I knew that I would be heading back home to Paradise.  My divinity was not too obvious yet with the apostles.

But what I want to delve on are the good times…the laughter, the fun, the camaraderie that you surely have experienced in your lives very often.  These are the moments that count more and are worth remembering until you get older.

Have a set of good friends.  Develop this closeness with persons you feel you have affinity to.  Never feel that people are out to take advantage of you so you keep most people at arm’s length.  Take the risk that this one isn’t going to be the friend you are afraid to have.  Take the risk of friendship or picking a mate even if you make a wrong decision.  People will be people no matter how they are at any given time.  They will always change, sometimes for the better sometimes for the worse.  That is human nature.  Human nature is the point of this story I wanted to tell you today.  Peter was a great friend during good times but was a disappointment during the crucifixion.

This nature of ours, and I say ours,  because I was here as a man too, is a mortal fallible nature but it is a marvelous concept of potential.  From this potentiality comes the experience of a lifetime.  You never know what will happen when you marry!  You never know how things will work out in the future with business friends!  It’s always a big gamble to open yourself up and show your true colors.  Most people hide their real selves so that they will not be disappointed, lose faith, rejected or for whatever reasons.  People are people and people don’t like taking risks.

I tell you now: take that risk.  Take big risks in the area of friendship because things change.  Natural humor quickly changes.  Moods and feelings and temperaments and beliefs change.  And going back to Peter, he recovered from his disappointing behavior by becoming the best preacher of the twelve.

You today are not what you were 3 or 5 years ago.  Aren’t you a different person today?  Don’t you like yourself better today?

So I leave with you this lesson on friendship as another of my recollections when I was here in Urantia.  I had great fun and I laughed and cried and worked and played.

Have a great life, dear friends, have a wonderful enjoyable life.  You have the time now…make the rest of your life the best years of your life.  ‘Seize the moment’.  Love life and love yourselves.  I leave you My peace.  Good day. Michael

END