The Plumbline

Of all possessions a friend is the most precious. (Herodotus) Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family. (Proverbs 18:24 MSG) We might think being surrounded with a multitude of people we refer to as 'friends' is always a good thing, but as you may have already figured out, not all 'friends' will be there when you are going through a tough time. Mom always used to quote this passage to me when I bemoaned not having 'friends' like all the other kids my age did. She'd remind me that to have a friend, one needed to show himself or herself as a friend FIRST. That meant this introvert needed to be a little more outgoing! It took me years and a whole lot of time alone with Jesus to actually become a little more of an extravert, but it didn't come naturally to me. I found myself wanting to draw back, hide behind whatever mask was available, and just 'be there' without really being there. If that might hit home for you, the...

I no doubt deserved my enemies, but I don't believe I deserved my friends.  (Walt Whitman) Yup, I no doubt deserved each and every enemy I have made in life - that is for sure. What I don't understand is how many friends I have with as foolish as I have treated some people at times! I think we all have 'those moments' when we do less than a stellar job of treating others well. If it is a lifestyle, no doubt you have more enemies than you have friends! If it is an occasional 'one-off' kind of moment, no doubt those who call you friend have already forgiven that 'one-off' moment. Friendship requires some work if it is to endure the hardships of time and the challenges of those 'one-off' days. What we invest into a relationship today may not show any real 'yield' until we most likely need it somewhere into the future. There are persons for companionship, but then there are friends who are more loyal than family. (Proverbs 18:24) In life we h...