"A
friend loveth at all times . . ."
"A man
void of understanding striketh hands,
and becometh surety in the presence of
his friend."
Proverbs
17:17-18
Friendship
FRIEND!........What a precious word.
One of the
privileges of friendship is being able to
speak frankly. Little by little, and day by
day, we become accustomed to saying what we
think we ought to say instead of what we
really think. How comfortable and how pleasant
it is to speak freely without having to be on
guard. As the Arabian says, "A friend is one
to whom we may pour out the contents of our
hearts, chaff and grain together, knowing that
the gentlest of hands will sift it, keep what
is worth keeping, and with a breath of
kindness, blow the rest away."
Another
privilege of friendship is that of being
understood. Perhaps it was this quality which
caused someone to write about how animals are
such agreeable friends. They ask no questions;
they pass along no criticisms. Understanding
is to be expected of friends. Total agreement
and acceptance? Not necessarily! As one
anonymous writer has said, "The strength and
sweetness of friendship depends on sincerity
tempered by sympathy."
Another
privilege of friendship is the privilege of
silence. If one is but a mere acquaintance we
feel that we must talk. So we turn to such
exciting subjects as the weather, our health,
etc. But what a joy it is to have a friend
that will even understand your silence and not
say, "My friend is not my friend anymore
because she is not talking."
Friends
have mutual interests. They enjoy doing the
same kinds of things, and talking about their
shared interests. Friends are mutually devoted
to each other. When you are in trouble, it is
not merely your friend's duty but their
privilege to stand by. If they are in trouble,
you count it a privilege to help.
Friendship
is all of this..........and a whole lot more!
But now it causes one to ask:
"Are God and I friends?"
May we all
spend time with our dearest, loving Friend,
Jesus. He wants us to confide in Him too!
JESUS is Our One True Friend!
