Thursday, February 28, 2013

The Value of Friendship



A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.  –Proverbs 18:24 (KJV)

Everyone needs connections in their lives, which is why we have friends.  God created us to be social beings and we benefit from having meaningful friendships.  There are a number of old sayings, one of which involves the way we make friends.  It says that in order to have a friend we must be a friend.  This saying is lifted right from God’s Word.  It is true if we want to have friends we must be a friend, or as the Bible says, show ourselves friendly.  Having friends in our lives presents challenges, does it not?  We must be willing to step out of our comfort zones, form new connections and new relationships, and risk being hurt.

C.S. Lewis said this about friendships; “Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You, too? I thought I was the only one.’”  This indeed has been the beginning of many a friendship.  We meet someone who shares a similar struggle, a like fear, a common interest, or a perspective much like our own.  I often think of all the friendships I have enjoyed over the years.  A number of them have drifted away from me due to moving away, getting older, or simply being too involved with life and all its challenges.  We didn’t have a falling out; we were just too engrossed with the business of living to keep in touch.

However, there are a number who I continue to keep in my radar.  We may not talk every day, yet when we do talk on the phone or get together we simply pick up where we left off.  True friendships are made of such strong fabric that the passage of time or the miles between us vanish in the moment we reconnect.  The Word of God speaks of a friend who sticks closer than a brother.  This is the friend who loves us, cares for us, forgives us, is brutally honest, and will be there through all the trials of our lives.  This is no fair weather friend, for a true friend cares about who we are, not about what we have.  This is the friend the Bible is describing. 

Do not give up on the connections in your life or on making new ones.  I assure you that you are a valuable person to someone, and probably many others.  In fact, someone looks up to you, admires you, and is thankful for you.  Never forget the friend we have in the Lord who is always there for us, cares for us, and loves us regardless of our faults and failings.  You are special to God who loves you deeply.  Walk forward today in the knowledge God loves you.  Keep being a friend to those around you, for they value you more than you know.

God bless you.