“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”     Proverbs 17:17 (NIV)

Looking across the table, my view was clouded as I peered through tear-filled eyes. Just when I thought I couldn’t possibly laugh anymore, one of my dear friends brings me to tears with yet another spontaneous, humorous comment. Yes, tears … Tears of joy. The best kind. 

To borrow a phrase from a male friend of mine who said it best, “Girls just wanna do lunch.” Nothing makes us happier than a long lunch with girlfriends (usually at some unique place) to catch up, decompress, and share our inner most thoughts, feelings, victories, and defeats. Just to treat ourselves and laugh until we cry. To be validated and reaffirmed by those people whose opinions we value … those who can relate to us … those who love us. No matter what … at ALL times. 

From watching my husband, I think the guy version of this comes in the form of fishing, hunting, sporting events, and working on cars – manly stuff like that. For us girls, it’s just lunch. Throw in shopping, going to a play, or something like that and it is just the cherry on top. 

After time with friends, I always feel renewed, rejuvenated, refreshed – don’t you? I also generally go home wondering-  how did I get to be so lucky? To be surrounded by such witty, beautiful, intelligent women. Why do they put up with me? With my whining, complaining, and insecurity. What in the world do they see in me? I am one high maintenance friend. Down-right needy. And I know it.

After returning from a recent girls’ day outing, I began to wonder how is it that friendship is such a powerful force? How does spending just that small bit of time with friends have such a positive, powerful influence on our lives? To get an answer, I decided to see what the scriptures say about friendship. 

Through reading, I realized that God made us this way on purpose. He made us for friendship. 

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work; If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!”   

    Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 

He never meant for us to do this alone. God puts people in our lives to lift us up along the way. That support can be physical, emotional, and spiritual. In turn, we are to be that kind of friend to others.

God showed us how to be a best friend. He showed us how to listen, to love unconditionally, and to serve. He tells us:

“Greater Love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”               John 15:13

He showed us that too when He gave up His own life for our sins. 

To lay down your life for a friend can be done in different ways not just through the ultimate sacrifice. You “lay down your life” when you drop everything to go be with a friend when there’s an emergency, when you set aside time to be together, when you take time to pray for them, through random acts of kindness, when you listen without interruption – you get the picture.

I can think of numerous ways my dear friends have done this for me over the years. Each time adding support, love, joy, and worth to my life. I am truly appreciative and thankful for that. I just don’t say it enough. 

Today – take time to thank a friend. Remember God reveals Himself and His love for us through those angels in our lives. We are stronger together.

“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”   — Proverbs 27:17