A reliable friend is confirmed by advice. An old friend is measured by time. A true friend is proven by trust.
What kind of friend are you?
Me? I’ve been all of the above over the course of my life. Sometimes, I’ve even taken friendships for granted through a sort of selfishness that focuses on my relationships from the standpoint of “what’s in it for me?”.
Friendships are one of God’s richest blessings. He placed them in our lives for a reason. They’re meant to share His love for us through them… through the bond that you share with someone else who can be called a “friend”.
Sure, friends can give advice. We’ll call those “reliable”. Some friends, we’ve had for a long time. Let’s call those “old friends”. Some friends have earned our unwavering trust by building confidence that they’ll always be there when we need them. Let’s call those people “true friends”.
God wants us to have friends. We’re not meant to live singular lives without interaction. I, myself, have been guilty of living this lonely approach from time to time. Friendships require effort. In those times, most often, the issue is not them, it’s me.
In the wonderful book of Proverbs, we find King Solomon writing about friends. According to him, they “love at all times”. Does that describe you? Again, for me, not all the time.
The Tiny Word. Big Life. “AHA!” is this: Be the kind of friend that you’d like to have. Does it require effort? Yes. Does the need to care for it come at inopportune times? Yes. Is it worth it? Deep down, I think we all know the answer to that one.
Finally, be thankful for friends of all kinds – regardless of definition. And remember, God only sees one kind of friend – one that “loves at all times”. Be that one.
Proverbs 17 : 17
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.