Friendship

Thinking about friendships tonight and what it means to be a good friend. I truly love each one of my friends, however in different ways. I love the caring, companionship of a good friend; even my friends who live miles and miles from me. When we talk, it's as if we haven't been apart for one day. Ahhh, friendship is such a gift. A gift from Whom, you may ask? Our loving heavenly Father--He created us to be relational as is seen in the Trinity and in our personal relationships with Him.

Just a couple Scriptures on friendship:
Proverbs 17:17a "A friend loves at all times."
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 "Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up."
J0hn 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends."

Quotes about friendship:

"The better part of one's life consists of his friendships." Abraham Lincoln
"It takes a long time to grow an old friend." unknown
"A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere. Before him I may think aloud." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Many years ago, I read a superb book on the subject of friendships by Dee Brestin, called The Friendships of Women. Brestin uses the friendship of people in the Bible to illustrate how our friendships are valuable, however different with different women. After reading the book, I felt free to have friendships on differing levels. Everyone will not be a "best" friend and that's okay. Some friendships are only in our lives for a season and that's okay. Anyway, I could go on and on, but hopefully you get the gist of what I'm saying.

My final thought this good evening is that my life is truly richer for the friendships God has allowed into my life.