BY MICHELLE WILLIAMS, GRACE ATTENDER & BLOGGER
Find Someone Who Will Bring You Back
The term “buddy system” is when at least two people work together as a single unit to be able to help and monitor one another. It’s a procedure used in many situations deemed considerably more dangerous for one person to do alone. All branches of the military use the buddy system in one form or another—it’s where terms like wingman, shipmate and battle buddy are used. Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, schools, organizations, and missionaries frequently engage in some form of the buddy system.
According to Merriam-Webster, the first known use of the phrase “buddy system” goes as far back as 1942. However, as we learned in the sermon this past weekend, the idea of the buddy system has been around far longer—at least as long as the book of Hebrews has been around.
The author of Hebrews encourages us to motivate one another to acts of love and good works, and not to neglect meeting together. This book encourages us to use the buddy system for our faith. And doesn’t that make perfect sense? Because when we drifting, we essentially become lost. A buddy is someone who can bring you back; someone who can help restore your faith in God.
For me, there were two sides to the sermon this past weekend. I most definitely heard the message that we all need to build community with at least a few strong, godly friends. None of us knows when something may happen in life that may test our faith. We all need someone in our lives who’s been tested, broken, confused—and who has come out of all of it still clinging tightly to the hope and promises of God. That’s the buddy who can help bring you back. We all need a buddy like that.
We all need someone in our lives who’s been tested, broken, confused—and who has come out of all of it still clinging tightly to the hope and promises of God. ![]()
Tweet This
On the other side, I felt God tugging at my heart to keep watch for His lost sheep. If the person who’s drifting needs a buddy to bring them back, well, someone has to be that buddy. I’m sure a lot of us felt that tug this weekend—those of us who have been to the valley and back and who can attest to the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives through it. For me, the message was as much about being a buddy as it was about finding a buddy.
![]()
Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. -Hebrews 10:23-25
Take the Next Step
Find a Buddy
If you're feeling lonely and don't have someone in your life who you can turn to when you're drifting or when life gets difficult, consider joining one of these ministries:
Be a Buddy
Or maybe you feel like God's calling you to lead someone else in their journey. If so, considering serving in one of these areas:
Share Your Story
If you have a story about someone who's touched your life and helped you when you've been drifting, please share it with us in the comments below!