Friend

. . .there is a friend who stays closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24

Do you have a friend? Are you a friend? There is a significant difference between being friendly and being a friend. I fear that on occasion some have reduced the Savior of the World, the manifestation of the Word of God, to friendship status. While Jesus did call his disciples friends (John 15:13-15), we must never allow our mindset to reduce that to the lowest common denominator. He is still Lord of Heaven and Earth, the eternal God, without peer and matchless.

It is possible for us, however, to abandon genuine friendship for a cursory friendliness. Certainly a friendly person would smile and speak as a neighbor, an acquaintance, or even a stranger approaches. But only a person who is intent on being a friend would invite the other individual in for coffee and a doughnut. A friendly person would probably send a card, even make a phone call to become a well-wisher. Only a friend will show up at some late hour to rejoice, or cry, or share the pain, or share the wealth, or give allegiance to the relationship.

Proverbs 18:24 has never struck me as a commentary on God’s relationship to men, but rather as a measure of true or genuine friendship. Not all brothers are close, as we well know, and sometimes they manage to avoid “sticking together.” It is none-the-less true that there are frequently incredibly strong bonds between brothers. They watch for one another, care for one another, support one another, and give themselves to one another in a plethora of ways. Friendship can have the same bond, or perhaps, depending on how we exegete this verse, a stronger bond even than blood.

A friend would never deny his friend a cup of coffee. A friend would not speak ill of his friend, or damage the relationship with unkind or untoward words. A friend would always support his friend with words of encouragement and peace and always react negatively to mean-spiritedness and disparaging remarks or comments. Just being friendly demands no deep commitment and abiding llove. It does not demand the abiding presence of God’s Spirit. On the other hand, being a friend demands a commitment that seeks the best for another, embraces the weakness and failure of others, gives generously without thought of return, and invests in providing nurture for the relationship.

Got friends? You are a fortunate person. So are they!