A Friend's Love

I don't know about you, but I have different kinds of friends. Some friends are acquaintances that I am always happy to see and can easily make small talk with. Other friends are just a lot of fun, always willing to grab a meal or plan an entertaining activity. But my real friends are there for my 2 am phone calls, the ones I lean on when something unimaginable happens. These friends I reach out to with the deepest longings and fears of my heart; the ones who cover me in prayer, always. 

A Proverbs 17:17 friend is a friend that loves you despite your flaws or indiscretions. It is a true, unconditional love that is not splintered by time or circumstance. These friends are the lifters of your arms when the burdens of this life weigh them down. They are the friends that can know your every indiscretion and yet love you the same. It is easy to find friends when things are good, light-hearted, and fun, but it is not so easy when the storms of life are tossing you around. It takes a special friend who is willing to climb into that storm-tossed boat with you and hold on for dear life next to you. 

When I read the second part of this verse, "a brother is born for adversity," I am reminded that for many of us our families of origin can be a tender place. If that resonates, let me encourage you; This Proverb is not saying that all friendships and families look this way. It is describing the people who stick by your side no matter the circumstance or inconvenience as your brothers and sisters. Blood is not the only thing that makes you family; showing up and sitting in the trenches and fighting the battles of this life together does. 

If you do not have a friend like this, the absolute best way to get one is to be one. Be the brother born for adversity not a fair-weather friend. Be the brother or sister that climbs into the boat and prays for someone through their storm. When you are the friend who shows up for someone in hard times, you might just be surprised who shows up for you when your storm comes. 

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Lord, thank You for the gift of friendship. Open my eyes to those around me whom I can love and support, and in times of trouble, provide the friends I need to lift me up. Thank You for all the ways You enable us to connect with others; may I care for those in my circle well. Amen.