Pastor's Column: How important is Christian friendship?
By ROY KELLER
Parkview Mennonite Church
Jesus speaking to His disciples said, "Greater love have no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do whatsoever I command." (John 15:13-14).
Proverbs 27:6, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." The wise man seems to be speaking of constructive criticism.
It has been said, "Of all the gifts that God has lavished upon us, none is more precious than that of friendship."
The following illustration is interesting: "There are many things that have been said and sung about friendship among men. Even the broken fragments of it that remain now on earth are sweet to weary travelers. The glimpses of it which we get in life are like those little isolated pools which stand in the deeper portions of a water course in summer when the spring head has failed and the stream has ceased to flow.
"Some broken bits of heaven are mirrored on their surface, when all around is dull and earthy. The burning eye gets some relief when it rests upon them; and the parched lips are refreshed by the water such as it is which they still contain.
"We shall not lose sight of those little pools until the river flows full again. They will continue to cheer disciples on their journey through the desert and will not be forgotten until they disappear in the river which makes glad the city of God."
Some characteristics of true Christian friends are they emphasize the good not the bad; are good listeners; are always there when needed; treat each other as equals; and love God with all their heart, soul, and strength; and love their neighbor as themselves.
