By Chris WittsTuesday 27 Feb 2024Morning Devotions with Chris WittsFaithReading Time: 1 minute
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Transcript:
Frank Sinatra famously once said, “A friend in need is a pain in the neck”. Frank Sinatra was a great entertainer, but a poor theologian. He may have been joking, I don’t know, because he was a very generous benefactor and helped a lot of people.
But it’s worth another look today at friendship—what does true friendship really look like? It may be surprising to read what surveys reveal. Most men do not have one close friend. Women seem to be better placed in having a good friend. Others say if you have three good friends during your life time, you’re doing well. I think deep down we’re looking for at least one good friend.
One for You, One for Me
I like the amusing story of two boys who were collecting a bucket of nuts underneath a great tree inside a cemetery on the outskirts of town. When the bucket was full, they sat down out of sight to divide the spoils. One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me, said one boy, as the other watched intently. Their bucket was so full that some of the nuts had spilled out and rolled toward the fence.
It was dusk, and another boy came riding along the road on his bicycle. As he passed, he thought he heard voices from inside the cemetery. He slowed down to investigate. Sure enough, he heard, One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me. The boy with the bike knew just what was happening, and his face went ghostly white. Oh my, he shuddered. It’s Satan and the Lord dividing souls at the cemetery! He jumped back on his bike and rode off, desperately looking for a friend.
Just around the bend he met an old, scowling man who hobbled along with a cane. Come with me, quick! said the boy. You won’t believe what I heard! Satan and the Lord are down at the cemetery dividing up the souls! The man said, Beat it, kid, can’t you see it’s hard for me to walk? When the boy insisted, though, the man hobbled to the cemetery. When they arrived at the fence, they heard, One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me.
Ready to have some fun, the old man whispered, Boy, you’ve been tellin’ the truth. Let’s go inside, and see if we can see the Devil himself! The child was horrified, but the old man was already taking his first step toward the gate. Then they heard, Okay, that’s the last of them. That’s all. Now let’s go get those two nuts by the fence, and we’ll be done. They say the old guy made it back to town five minutes ahead of the boy! More than likely, he was looking for a friend.
A Friend of the Belgian People
It seems that most people are constantly looking for friends. Some people are desperately looking for friendship, especially if they live alone or are facing a difficulty, and need a friend, someone to share the experience with. They may be fearful. When the First World War ended, the King and Queen of Belgium wanted to honour President Herbert Hoover for the aid they had received during the war from the United States.
After considering the various available honours, the monarch offered Hoover his choice of three decorations. He rejected them all stating: “You have stood at the gateway of civilization and held back the tide of aggression, while we have only shared with you what we had to give. For that one does not ask for honours.” The King and Queen responded, “He is our very great friend.” Desiring to adequately express their appreciation for his efforts, they created a new order, to which Hoover alone belonged, called ‘Friend of the Belgian People’.
A good friend will love you for who you are.
He was indeed a friend—friendship is a very strong thing. The American soprano Jennifer Wilson said: “A messy house is a must—it separates your true friends from other friends. Real friends are there to visit you not your house!” And the poet Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “The only way to have a friend is to actually be one.”
Friends will come and go in your life, but more important than how long a friendship lasts, is that a good friend will love you for who you are. The way you can tell the sign of a good friend is by looking at the actions they take—big and small—that show they care.
(To be continued in What Does True Friendship Look Like? – Part 2)