Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Dogs, Cats and Goldfish

A friend and I were comparing friendships in life to pets. There is the cat friend who purrs only when they are getting what they want. There is the goldfish friend who may look at you and move their lips, but they aren’t hearing a thing you say. Then there is the canine friend who is your friend no matter what you do and will always come back to lick your hand.
It made me wonder what kind of friend I am to others. Do I extend my friendship only for what others can offer to me? Am I a friend in name only that really doesn’t let others close to me or know who I really am? Or am I a friend who ‘sticketh closer than a brother’?
After spending a week of vacation where I was fortunate to visit with friends I hadn’t seen in months, it struck me that I am rich with friends who know me and like me anyway! Friends who don’t care that it’s been weeks since we’ve shared a laugh, we just pick up where we left off as if it were yesterday. Friends who truly care what is happening in my life, and who I pray for and encourage and listen to because they are such a big part of mine.
This life is so much easier to handle with friends who support and pray for you and my time with such friends last week reminded me how important that is. The apostle Paul often started or ended his letters with how much he cared for his friends. “I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers” is one phrase he used in Ephesians.
I’m not sure what kind of friend pet the apostle Paul would have been, but those he called friends were honoured. Just as I am honoured to have the friends the Lord has blessed me with. Our God is a God of Love, and He calls to have relationship with Himself and others. I pray that we each strive to become a better friend, to God and His people.

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