True Friends

Friendship is a precious commodity.  If we are blessed in this life we may find two or three people with whom we share a true friendship that lasts a lifetime, and I have two such women with whom I can talk, laugh, and share openly.  They seldom have concrete answers for what challenges I may be facing, but they are always ready to listen and pray.  In a world filled with self-centeredness, the gift of one's time is something to be cherished.  The strangest part of all is that both these dear women live over 800 miles away from me!  Praise God for long-distance phone service, the U.S. mail, and Facebook!!

Choosing friends is so important that the Bible devotes numerous scriptures to directing us as to how to select those who will edify (build up), admonish (lovingly correct), and share freely with us all they have learned and experienced, that we might be able to learn from them.  Proverbs 12:26, 13, 20, 14:6-7, 22:24-25, and I Corinthians 15:33 are just a few.  I think true friendship may be the most valuable and cherished possession we are given in this lifetime.  Jesus placed great value on friendship, and Peter, James, and John occupied a special place in his life here on earth.  John was called "the disciple whom Jesus loved," and as such he might be considered (in today's vernacular) Christ's BFF.

The things that make a true friend are difficult to find in a world consumed with selfishness.  A true friend is completely committed to the relationship, in good times and in bad, and isn't afraid of the ugly stuff we often face in this life.  She doesn't look backward to focus on our mistakes.  A friend looks forward with encouragement and faith in our possibilities.  She is willing to confess her own shortcomings and share her mistakes in hope that they will serve as lessons for both.  Perfection is neither expected from nor professed by a true friend.  A friend is that person who loves you "warts and all!"

This week held a birthday for me.  The day came and passed pretty much as any day would.  I received a few cards in the mail, got a personal visit and well-wishes from my son and his family, spoke with my daughters long-distance on the phone, and went out for a lovely lunch with my husband.  Despite the blessings of the day, I was inclined to focus on the calls I did not receive, the too-many years that have passed by, and all the things I desire to experience in the here and now, but am not seeing at this time.    It didn't take long for me to feel discouraged and down.  Then, my friend called.  We chatted for some length and she shared her own experience with lost friendships and disappointment in years past.  By the end of the conversation we were laughing at our own foolishness.

My prayer for you today is that you will find one or two true friends with whom to walk through your life.  I know that it is the will of God for us to have those people in our lives, so don't hesitate to pray for them.  With a good friend at your side, you'll be able to face the challenges of this life with greater strength and determination.  However, it is crucial that we do not forget the greatest friend of all.

"What a friend we have in Jesus;

All our sins and griefs to bear.

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer.

Oh, what peace we often forfeit;

Oh, what needless pain we bear.

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer."

"One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

Proverbs 18:24