Are You A Good Friend?

30 Sep

“A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds one finds a treasure.
A faithful friend is beyond price, no sum can balance his worth.
A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy, such as he who fears God finds;
For he who fears God behaves accordingly, and his friend will be like himself.”  (Sir 6:14-17)

No matter how much we might like to think that we can go it alone, there comes a time in every person’s life when he or she realizes that is impossible.  Friends are so very important.  They are often the cement that holds our lives together.

I think that is one of the reasons that friendships are spoken about so early in our lives.  Teachers often coach their young students on how to be good friends.  They let the children know that it is important to be there for others.  They caution against using others as that often leads to the destruction of friendships.

When people get older, they start to cast their sight on that special person with whom they want to spend their lives.  They say that they want to be able to marry their best friend.

Friendship is something that has trickled into our liturgies as well.  Songs such as “What a friend we have in Jesus” proclaim the unique relationship we have with the Lord.  We are not acquaintances.  We are friends.

Friends are so crucial in our lives.  Why is it that we so often overlook them?  We seem to take good friends for granted instead of investing the time and energy into the relationship as they deserve.

We all know friends who have been sturdy shelters, treasures, and life-saving remedies.  Hopefully we have been just that kind of person to others as well.

This day, we thank God for our friends and ask God to help us to be good friends to those special people in our lives.

FAITH ACTION:  Are you a good friend to others?  Do you give as much (if not more) than you take in your relationship with your friends?  What can you do to be better?