- Stella Jebemani
Friendship is a very beautiful, wonderful and trusting
relationship in this world. The Bible speaks of
the qualities of true friendship and how important
is friendship with God and man.
Why do we need a friend?
We need someone to love and care for us. We need
someone to share our fears and happiness in this
world. We need someone to give us moral support
and one who can be trusted in spite of all our weaknesses.
The Bible says we need to be friendly. Let us have
a look at the few verses, which speaks about friend
and friendship.
John 15
13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay
down his life for his friends.
Ecclesiastes 4
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good
return for their work:
10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls and has no one to help
him up!
Proverbs 27
6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy
multiplies kisses.
9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and
the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his
earnest counsel.
Proverbs 18
24 A man of many companions may come to ruin, but
there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 27
10 Do not forsake your friend and the friend of
your father, and do not go to your brother's house
when disaster strikes you-- better a neighbor nearby
than a brother far away.
How to be a friend?
Unconditional love, mutual respect and good listening
are the key for friendship. Our heart should be
pure and our speech should be gracious. If we are
so we can win anyone for our friend. The qualities
of a friend according to the bible verses are as
follows:
Proverbs 17
9 He who covers over an offense promotes love, but
whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
Proverbs 18
1 An unfriendly man pursues selfish ends; he defies
all sound judgment.
Proverbs 22
11 He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is
gracious will have the king for his friend.
To whom should we be
friendly?
This is the most difficult part in friendship. With
whom are we friendly? Are we attached to the worldly
things? Are we carried away by worldly people? We
have been given certain duties to accomplish in
this world. Christ himself came as son of man and
lived among the people and suffered like any other
normal being. But the worldly things did not affect
him. He was called friend of sinners and tax collectors.
He came to help and console those who are carried
away by worldly things. We have the same duty to
accomplish. We are expected to love, help and console
people who suffer in this world. How can we accomplish
this? Just by following his commands. Just by being
his friend first.
Matthew 11
19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and
they say, `Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend
of tax collectors and "sinners."' But wisdom is
proved right by her actions."
John 15
14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
James 2
22 You see that his faith and his actions were working
together, and his faith was made complete by what
he did.
23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham
believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,"
and he was called God's friend.
24 You see that a person is justified by what he
does and not by faith alone.
God himself is a very good friend of man. In the
context of the Bible Abraham is called as a friend
of God. How wonderful it could have been for Abraham?
What a credit for him? Why Abraham is called as
God's friend? He followed whatever God commanded
him. He trusted God and was walking in God's commandments
through out his life. What is the commandment given
by Jesus?
John 15
12 My command is this: Love each other as I have
loved you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose
you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit
that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever
you ask in my name.
17 This is my command: Love each other.
May God bless us and strengthen us to follow his
commandments so that we spread his love and bear
fruit that will last and help us to be friendly
with his creation.
