The Best Friendship

I met a friend for breakfast yesterday morning. We parked across from each other, walked toward each other & conversation began:

Friend: “I cannot believe I am meeting you for coffee in my cleanest dirty shirt. I really need to do laundry.”

I looked at her shirt & frankly, it didn’t look so bad to me. And then I confessed as I waved my arms over my legs just above my knees:

“Are you kidding? I can’t believe I am meeting you with jeans that have been spewed on by an infant in the baby room at church yesterday!!”

“Let me make it clearer”, I said as I continued to enthusiastically wave my arms over my pant legs, “These have really been spewed on!!!”

And so, we entered Panera for breakfast. Of course, there was not a soul sitting near us. But then it is Patriots’ Day & school vacation. I bet you thought it was our clothes that kept everyone at a distance!

Friendship…….

When you find that person that you can be yourself with, it is a gift.

When you find that person that accepts you as you are, THAT is an even bigger gift.

Scripture tells us a few things about friendship:

• “A friend loves at all times.” (Proverbs 17:17 NIV). In The Message, it is worded, “Friends love through all kinds of weather.” A true friend will be supportive.
• “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17 NIV). The New American Commentary states, “People must not shy away from interacting with their peers since it is an education in itself.” (page 220). We truly learn from one another. Life is better for having shared with one another.

Helen Keller had this to say about friendship:

“Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.”

Jesus put it this way:

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 NIV).

“You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends…”. (John 15: 14-15a NIV). 

“There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24 NIV).

May God bless us with a good friend. May we be a good friend to others. But more so, may we rely on the One who is our closest friend.