2018. As of November 30th, 2014, the day I am writing this article, that’s the number of “friends” that Facebook says I have. It is quite evident that Facebook and I have very different opinions regarding the definition of a friend! I think Facebook would be well served to change the category heading to: “Acquaintances,” “Friends of Friends,” or “People Who Have Some Remote Connection or General Interest in Me,” but 2018 friends? Seriously? No! I promise you I do not have 2018 friends!
A wise older gentleman once told me, “Boy, when you get to the end of your life and look back, if you can count on one hand the number of true friends you’ve made along the way, you will be a blessed man.” I thought he was crazy. Why, I had plenty of friends. He must be getting senile, or something. However, I quickly discovered he wasn’t the crazy one. I was! I soon came to the realization that I had many acquaintances but few true friends.
Friend – hum – what is this thing called a friend? I am told that A British newspaper once offered a prize for the best definition of a friend. There were thousands of entries. One read, “One who multiplies joys, divides grief, and whose honesty is inviolable.” Another read, “One who understands our silence.” And another read, “A volume of sympathy bound in cloth.” And yet another read, “A watch that beats true for all time and never runs down.” But the winning entry read, “A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out.”
It’s hard to articulate the definition of true friendship. True friendships supersede the boundaries that govern acquaintances and superficial friendships. You see, true friendships are not governed by distance. It’s amazing, but true friends can be half a world away from each other and one will call the other and say, “I was thinking about you today. Are you okay?” Only to have the other reply, “No! I’m not. I just knew you would call. I needed to hear your voice today.” Oh! By the way, words aren’t always necessary. Sometimes silence is the language of true friendship!
True friendships are not governed by time. Isn’t it amazing that you can be separated from a true friend for a year or more and when you get back together, it’s like you were never apart? You pick up right where you left off. You still laugh and cry at the same old stuff!
True friendships supersede the “ugly” of a person’s life. A true friend knows the very worst thing there is to know about you, refrains from becoming judgmental, and makes a conscious decision to continue loving you, supporting you, and being your friend.
True friendships grant permission for the friends to speak the truth in love. A true friend will tell you, in love, what you need to hear – whether you want to hear it or not! And they will rein you in, when necessary.
True friendships are built upon trust and life experience levels that acquaintances and superficial friendships never attain.
True friendships model the quality described by a portion of the lyrics of the song, “Live Like You Were Dying,” that says, “I became a friend a friend would like to have.”
Proverbs 17:17(KJV) teaches us, “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” And Proverbs 18:24(KJV) teaches us, “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Who is that Friend that sticketh closer than a brother? The hymn writer identified Him this way, “What a friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry, Everything to God in prayer! … Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged – Take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful, Who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; Take it to the Lord in prayer.”
2018 friends? Seriously? Not a chance! One True Friend? Yea. A real chance! I wonder who needs me and who needs you to be that one real, true friend today.
Brother Aaron
To schedule Brother Aaron to preach a Sunday service at your church, a revival meeting, or a special event, you may contact him at: 1-800-511-9536, 706-302.9162, or e-mail: freshfire@mindspring.com
