Constant Friend

When you look at the friendships you currently have, are any of them since childhood? Or perhaps high school? Is it rare to have those long lasting friendships? 

I have lost contact with all but three people that I attended school with. I am friends on FaceBook with two of them. I haven’t actually spoken to either of them in years. I have run into the other one from time to time. We exchange pleasantries. 

One of my friends, that I have known for over 20 years, we did not attend school together, she has two or three friends that she has kept in contact with since, I think high school. They visit each other, they have gone on trips together. They haven’t lived in the same area for many years. I think that’s a special friendship.

My son is in his mid-twenties. He and his best friend have been friends since pre-school days. That’s pretty neat (an expression that my son uses). 

I have had a lot of friends come and go in my life. I think everyone experiences that, right? Even in my own family, I have had friendships with my sisters and some of my cousins. Life got busy and we lost touch. Then one day, someone reaches out and the friendship is restored. It is such a good feeling. 

Friends are important. We need people to do life with. It’s good to have someone to talk with, to laugh with, to cry with and just to be yourself. We need friends for encouragement and to set us straight. That reminds me of a verse in Proverbs 27:17, “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”

I am so thankful for my friends. I am an introvert by nature. Sometimes they need to encourage (nudge) me out of my comfort zone to do things with them. I am also a home-body so going out to do things isn’t high on my priority list. I am trying to make more of an effort to get together with them. 

There are at least three categories of friends that I can think of right now. One, close friends – the friends that you think of first to share things with, to confide in and have those deep conversations with. Two, the friends that you hang out with once in a while and have a good time when you get together. Three, acquaintances – people you chat with when you happen to run into them, conversations are pleasant and usually just small talk. I think we all have friends in each of those categories. 

The most important friendship is with Jesus. He invites me into friendship with Him and He loves me with an unconditional, sacrificial love. In John 15:13-15 we read, “Greater love has no one that this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I’ve heard from My Father I have made know to you.” Whether or not I have friends, I know I can always count on my friendship with Jesus. That has helped me to get through some very lonely times.

I am sure we all have friends that have come and gone in our lives. We may be sad when some friendships end and are thankful and blessed for current and new friends. Knowing that God is my constant friend is a beautiful thing.