By David ReayTuesday 25 Feb 2014LifeWords DevotionalsFaithReading Time: 0 minutes
Transcript:
Read Proverbs 18:24
One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (NIV)
The very first thing God reckoned was no good in our world was not insects,not sharks,not gum trees,not even sex. What was not good was human aloneness. We were never made to be isolated individuals. So God made us for relationships,and for intergender relationships. And it would be a mistake to assume this is simply a reference to marriage. To do so would consign all unmarried people to a status of incompleteness and alien aloneness.
Human friendship is the most common expression of overcoming aloneness: more common even than marriage. Jesus was able to live a fulfilling life without being married,but he did enjoy friendship. Friendship is a way of saying we are made for relationship.
Real friends are those who stick by you in various seasons of life. They are not merely functional. They are givers and not just takers. They listen as well as speak. They are prepared to disturb us as well as comfort us. They make the time to be with us and not just fit us in when convenient. They weep with us and rejoice with us.
Such real friends are not numerous. We may have many acquaintances but few friends. Value those we have. Nurture and treasure friendship rather than surrendering it to apathy or excess busyness. Thank God for the friends we have. Ask for his help to be the friends others are pleased to have.
Blessings
David Reay