The Friend You Haven’t Met Yet

Who is sitting next to you right now? On the bus. At church. In the waiting room. That person you didn’t greet, the one you didn’t smile at, the one you thought had nothing to offer you. What if they are the friend you haven’t met yet?

What if God placed them right there, not by mistake, not by coincidence, but by divine arrangement?

The truth is, everybody is carrying something. A silent burden. A hidden scar. A quiet prayer. And many times, it’s not written on their face. They look okay. They dress well. They laugh. But inside, they are bleeding.

Have you ever walked past someone who looked fine, only to later discover they were going through hell?

Sometimes we are too busy. Too focused on our own problems. Too distracted by our phones. Too locked in our own minds to notice the pain beside us. But isn’t that where healing often begins, when one person dares to care?

Let me ask you this.
When was the last time you asked someone, “Are you okay?”

Not out of routine, but out of genuine concern.

When was the last time you became someone’s answered prayer?

The Bible says in Hebrews 13:2, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”

What if the one beside you is not just a stranger, but an angel in disguise? What if they hold the key to a door you’ve been praying for? Or perhaps, you are the answer to their silent cry.

We are all human. We are all in need. Maybe not in the same way, but in some way. The rich man needs peace. The poor man needs provision. The child needs love. The old man needs comfort. Even the pastor needs encouragement. Life is no respecter of persons.

Jesus was passing through Samaria when He met a woman at the well. She had five failed relationships and was tired of pretending. But a simple conversation, just one moment of attention, transformed her entire story.

What if your hello is someone’s healing?

What if your smile becomes someone’s strength?

What if your listening ear becomes their lifeline?

In Galatians 6:2, we are reminded: “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

This is not about doing something big. Sometimes, it’s in the small acts.

A warm greeting.
A seat offered.
A message sent.
A prayer whispered.
A meal shared.
A hand held.
We keep waiting for miracles, but what if we are the miracle someone is waiting for?

The stranger you help today might be the helper you need tomorrow. Life turns. Tables shift. Seasons change. The same person you once helped may become the one who helps you find your way.

So here’s my plea. Look again. Don’t be in a hurry. Notice the people beside you. Show kindness, not because they deserve it, but because God has shown it to you.

And when you feel empty yourself, when your own heart is tired, remember Proverbs 11:25: “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

So, who is beside you right now?
The friend you haven’t met yet?
The angel in disguise?
The answer to your next chapter?
Don’t miss the moment.
Be kind. Be present. Be Christ.
Because in the end, it’s not the big things that change the world. It’s the little things, done in love.

And you, you are the difference someone is praying for today.

By Victor Raul Puobabangna Plance from Eggu in the Upper West Region of Ghana

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