It is good
to have friends. They are there when you need a helping hand, a shoulder to cry
on, or even to watch your dog for a long weekend. You may have many friends, or only a few. Some are faitour,
not true friends. Some are coy, very shy. Some are buffoon, they make you smile
and some are ephebe. A friend is someone you can hang out with, have fun with
and depend on. The Bible has a lot to say about friendship, but it’s different
from what you might expect.
It is a
person with whom you dare to be yourself.
Your soul can be naked with him. He/She seems to ask of you to put on
nothing, only to be what you are. He/She
does not want you to be better or worse. When you are with him/her you feel as
a prisoner feels who has been declared innocent. You do not have to be on your
guard. You can say what you think, so
long as it is genuinely you. He/She
understands those contradictions in your nature that lead others to misjudge
you. With him you breathe freely. You can avow your little vanities and envies
and hates and vicious sparks, your means and absurdities and, in opening them
up to him, they are lost, dissolved on the white ocean of his loyalty. He/She understands. You do not have to be careful. You can abuse him/her, neglect him/her,
tolerate him/her. Best of all, you can
keep still with him/her. It makes no
matter.
Friends are important to us. You might have affluent friends but they may be vacuous. Contumacious
but they feel obnoxious. Just keep your true friends and never let them go. They really help us and they nurture us to be a better people.
