Have you ever played the game “Me Too”? You can play this icebreaker with any group of people. One person states something they have done, or love, or an experience they have had.

“I enjoy kayaking.”

Then everyone who has the same interest, experience, or ability stands up, saying “Me too!” (I would be standing up! Would you?) A follow-up conversation can be had or stories shared until you move on to the next person.

This get-to-know-you activity can help build relationships and an appreciation for how we are all wonderfully unique yet also share some things in common. It helps us learn about others and begin to build friendships by finding common ground.

Why do you have the friends you have? Didn’t you find some common ground, something that you both shared, that drew you together? Maybe you both have kids the same age or are both in a season of caring for aging parents. Maybe you are both single, in the same career field, or enjoy running. It’s always fun to find a “kindred spirit.” What a priceless treasure it is to have a friend who also shares the common bond of faith!

If a group of Christian women were playing “Me Too” it might sound like this:

“I love Bible journaling and writing the Word!”

“Me too!”

“I’m enjoying our women’s Bible study on the book of Philippians.”

“Me too!”

“I’m looking for ways to encourage my children to have daily time in God’s Word.”

“Me too!”

When I think of my friendships, the friends I feel closest to are the ones where we share a common faith. Often making friends comes easily when we share that bedrock of beliefs.

Because we share the same faith, I already know a few things that will be true for you, as they are for me:

• We will encourage each other with God’s Word, reminding each other of God’s promises, not with advice from the world, or our own opinions, but from the powerful word of God. “The sweetness of a friend comes from his sincere advice” (Proverbs 27:9b EHV).
• We will pray for each other, because we know that God hears prayer, and will answer in the best way.
• We will take time for each other, just as Jesus took time to hear and heal the crowds that followed him. We will include each other in our lives, as best we can.
• We will forgive each other, just as God forgives us: totally, completely, like it never happened.
• We will put the best construction on everything, defend each other, and give gentle redirection if needed, always out of love for our friend.
• We will do what we can to meet the physical, mental, or spiritual needs of our friend.

In other words, we will be the kind of friend Jesus was to his followers—the kind of friend he is to us.

Jesus did all these and one more: Jesus laid down his life for his friends. Because he lived a perfect life in our place, and died to pay the punishment for our sins, we can be called friends of God. Even better, we can each say, “I am an adopted child of God.” This means we who share this faith are closer than friends; we are sisters in the family of believers.

Do you have a Christian friend like that? Are you a Christian friend like that to others?