Being A Friend

       I am a person who tends to wear my emotions on my face.  When I am sad it is easy to tell, much the same as when I am happy.  This one particular day I was wearing sadness and my friend, without saying a word hugged me and said a prayer without even knowing what was on my heart. I was so grateful for her understanding and compassion without knowing any details.

       Satan is hard at work in families.  This can be seen all around us as divorce rates climb.  There is constant prayer for families, even in our congregation as Satan sets out to destroy relationships whether it be through teens, siblings, or husbands and wives.

 Teenagers want to spread their wings and fly and sometimes to areas where only destruction can find them.  Siblings, from the time they are tiny, squabble.  Once they are adults, it is expected they can see past their differences and become friends.  This isn’t  always the case and strife between them can create a chasm time can’t seem to repair. 

       Husbands and wives are also at risk to Satan’s evil attacks.  He will cause them to pick and fuss over things that usually are so minimal in urgency or importance they eventually forget why they fell in love with their mate in the first place.  The bitterness becomes so great they can’t see past their own pain to even begin the forgiveness process.

       My friend who saw my sadness, hugged me, then followed it with a prayer is a great example of how we each should be.  We need not know the details of another's pain or sadness, we just need to know they are hurting.  Sometimes not knowing specifics is a blessing since you can't share with someone else information you don't know and therefore make what could be a small problem even worse. 

       Friends are a treasure whether they come in like gender, husbands and wives, siblings or any combination of the above.   And it’s a very lonely place when we don’t have someone to share our joys or hurts with.   Just as God accepts us as his friends, so should we accept each other in the attitude of love and acceptance. 

       I hope this week, you will take a moment and really see your friend (or friends!).  See if they need a hug of encouragement and a prayer or a hug of happiness!  Then share yourself in the spirit of friendship!

He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.  Proverbs 17:9