True Friendship - commitment

"A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18: 24

We have three types of friends:
a. Friends who give to us.
b. Friends whom we give to.
c. Friends where there is mutual giving and receiving.

Some friends are in reality acquaintances, others are colleagues, workmates, business associates, fellow believers or worshippers. We meet them, a week later we can't even remember their names.

We have friends of different types. Social demands may be too much for us to handle, so we settle for shallow relationships and lose out on true lasting friendships. Good to have friends and facebook friends keep recommending more, so we add to our list of friends.

Fair weather friends are easy to come by, but do they stand by you no matter what your situation is?

We have friends who are there in the hour of need. They are a pillar of strength. They are always loyal. "What a man desires is unfailing love." Proverbs 19: 22

Friendship is not based on how often we socialise, or how many dinners or meals we have together, although they contribute to some extent. I think true friendship involves the appreciating the inner person - the qualities rather than what we observe of the outward appearance of the person. Appreciation and acceptance are important. We love the person, warts and all! We see beauty in the inner person.

We need good committed friends who will stick by us through thick and thin. Some friends do not last, some are closer than blood brothers, loyal and committed. Real friendship is based on commitment - it is the bottom line of friendship.

I mentioned in a previous article that we live in a throw away society. We get hurt or upset, we break the friendship. True love does not take offence easily. There is another thought, we hurt most the people we love most. There is a price for true friendship - giving of ourselves and if that price is not paid, superficiality will be the result. The basis of true friendship is commitment.

In this 'give and take' friendship we cannot depend on the other person to make us happy. This means that to be a good and committed friend, we need to be at peace with ourselves - to be governed by the peace of God. We need to be willing to give and to receive. Lord help us!


"A friend of Jesus! O what bliss
That one so vile as I,
Should ever have a friends like this
To lead me to the sky,


A friend when other friendships cease,
A friend when others fail,
A friend who gives me joy and peace,
A friend who will prevail.

Friendship with Jesus, fellowship divine
O what blessed sweet communion'
Jesus is a friend of mine.
(Joseph Ludgate -SASong Book No 709)