Friendship

With great sadness I have watched a disturbing thing occur- the dissolution of friendships. Over the course of the last year or so I have watched at least 5 long standing friendships end. The ending of these friendships have all occurred, in my best estimation, due to a taking of offense. It has made me very sad to watch this happen and it has also made me think long and hard about friendship and what true friendship looks like.

Friendship says, "I love you more than this situation/issue." So often we become so caught up in being right that we forget how valuable our friends are to our lives. Our pride drives us to be 'right.' Our pride can also drive us right out of friendship. Is being 'right' (which more often then not is all a matter of perspective) really worth a friendship?

Friendship says, "I am secure enough in our friendship that we don't have to agree all of the time." What a sad thing when a friendship dissolves over a point of disagreement that is, in the big scheme of things, quite minor.

Friendship says, "Your name/reputation is safe with me." Need I say more?

Friendship says, "I rejoice in your successes even if I'm in a dry season." Isn't it sad when a friendship is ruined because one friend is so jealous of the other's season of joy or success that envy is allowed to walk into the friendship and tear it apart?

Friendship says, "I like that you have other friends." It has always been a mystery to me when a friendship is laced with jealousy. Why wouldn't you want your friend to have other friends?

Friendship says, "I forgive first and will ask questions later; but only if those questions will build our friendship."

Life is hard and life is harder if you are alone. Friendship is a gift that must be treasured and never taken for granted. Proverbs 17:17 tells us that a friend loves at all times. Notice that this verse says nothing about loving when it serves our selfish needs, loving when it is fun, loving when it is easy... NO! This verse simply says, "at all times."

I leave you with a thought from Frances Bacon that I believe is worth pondering. "The communicating of a man's self to his friend works two contrary effects; for it redoubleth joys and cutteth griefs in half."