The morning sunlight like an old friend melts the frost on the trees and peeks into my window. Its presence provides a softness to life and reminds me that a good friend is one who is present, but not too pushy; truthful, but kind; and helpful, but not controlling.
Baker’s Bible dictionary points out three levels of friendship. Sometimes “friend” merely means an association as in “Hello, friend. What’s your name?” Loyalty indicates a deeper, reciprocal relationship where each returns kindness to the other though not necessarily of the same variety. The friend “who sticks closer than a brother” shows loyal support as in a political alliance or one between two countries.
In addition to these two, closer friends also have an affection for each other as in the relationship between David and Jonathan who loved and supported David even in the face of opposition to his father King Saul. Even more than these three, however, John, the “disciple Jesus loved” and to whom Jesus entrusted His mother, illustrates that the closest friendship is one that has a spiritual basis. Close friendship means not only connection, loyalty, and caring devotion, but the binding of the Holy Spirit. May you have many close friends!
Reference: Proverbs 18:24; John 19:26; II Samuel 1:19-27
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z5cgajl1Kg I Am a Friend of God
For more works by Irma Flanagan, visit her website.