ASPIRE TO BE A TRUE FRIEND

Every person needs someone who he/she can call a friend. A friend who is truly a friend because there is the type of friendship that leads to doom or disaster. Proverbs 18:24 says "One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.(New International Version)"

There are "friends" who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother. (New Living Translation)

David and Jonathan are examples of true friends. When David defeated Goliath, Jonathan, the son of Saul, king of Israel, developed a special friendship with David. They made a covenant to be loyal and to defend each other. They shared their problems and secrets without reservations. They trusted each other. When Saul wanted to kill David out of jealousy, Jonathan revealed the secret to him and he fled. He was always ready to defend his friend. Jonathan was a friend who "who sticks closer than a brother."

1 Samuel 19:3-5

…3"I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak with my father about you; if I find out anything, then I will tell you." 4 Then Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, "Do not let the king sin against his servant David, since he has not sinned against you, and since his deeds have been very beneficial to you. 5"For he took his life in his hand and struck the Philistine, and the LORD brought about a great deliverance for all Israel; you saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by putting David to death without a cause?"…

Even after the death of Jonathan, David continued to show favor to his family members. He maintained his loyalty. 

2 Samuel 9:1-2
1Then David said, "Is there yet anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?" 2Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David; and the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" And he said, "I am your servant."…

True friendship last for a life time. But to be true friend, you have a part to play. It is not a one way process. It requires you to be friendly as well. You give and you receive. 

"...........A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly. Proverbs 18:24 (King James Bible)"

How can you cultivate this type of friendship? Or how can you show yourself friendly?

• To maintain friendship, avoid too much quarrels with them.
• You must love them.
• Show by action that you love them by being free and pleasing to them.
• Visiting them and bidding them welcome
• Doing all the good offices we can and serving them in every thing that lies in our power. 
•  Give a good counsel.
  Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel. (Proverbs 27:9 English Standard Version)

There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother and his name is Jesus. A brother indeed is born for adversity, as is said in, Prov. 17:17. When were are in trouble, we expect comfort and relief from our relations, but sometimes there is a friend, who is not genetically related  to us, whose love proves stronger than those of nature, and, when it comes to the trial, will do more for us than a brother will. Christ is a friend to all believers that sticks closer than a brother; to him therefore let them show themselves friendly.

We are friends of Jesus when we obey his commandments.

You are my friends if you do what I command. John 15:14

When you become a friend to Jesus, he reveals all his plans for your life to you. He shows you mysteries beyond human comprehension. You become a partner with him to achieve his mission on this earth with his full backing.

"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:15"

A good friend is always at hand to help you in time of need. Are you such a friend? I call upon you to aspire to be a true friend to somebody and make Jesus your friend as well if you haven't done so yet. It is always better to have Jesus as your true friend for he will never forsake or leave you. He will be your loyal neighbor and he will give you a good counsel.

Proverbs 27:10
Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative's house when disaster strikes you-- better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.