What A Friend

According to Facebook, I have 529 friends. Well, that's a lie, by MY definition of 'friends' anyway.

As I look through my friends list I see people who I have never even met. And some of my Facebook friends are actually dead.

If these people were really my friends, wouldn't we be talking with each other occasionally? Doing stuff together? Grabbin' some lunch or hanging out?

I saw someone at the disc golf course the other day. I hadn't seen him for five or six years, since his wife's funeral. Yet we hugged and talked like old friends, which is what we are.

Most Facebook-type friends are someone you interacted with for a period of time, but have since moved on from. They don't unfriend you because they like to keep their number of 'friends' high.

One of my favorite verses is Deuteronomy 31:6

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” - Deuteronomy 31:6

That sounds like the definition of a true friend - never leaving or forsaking. 

Most of my really good friends are the result of a struggle we have walked through together. We emerged on the other side of that struggle as extremely close and strong friends (there's about a dozen).

How many of your friends are of the really close, personal kind? How many have you walked with through tough times? How many have you prayed with? How many are you willing to die for? I hope you have many.

"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." - John 15:30

Perhaps today would be a good day to contact those really good friends and thank them for allowing you into their lives.

And that includes God. Because, quite honestly, there is no friend quite like Jesus... who died for us... because He loved us so much.

What A Friend We Have In Jesus - Alan Jackson