Friendship Shows Itself in Unusual Ways

Some of the "besties" God has blessed me with

Friendship shows itself in unusual ways. 

One friend of mine, a nurse, recently demonstrated her love and care for me by presenting me with a pair of compression socks. I’m preparing for a trip that will involve 24 hours of driving over some 1,200 miles. She was worried about me. 

“Nurses wear compression socks all the time,” she said, “they help prevent clots and make your legs feel so much better.” I’ve always associated compression socks with surgery and senior citizens (no offense to you senior citizens), but these were not your grandma’s compression socks – they’re black with rainbow-colored polka dots. I can’t wait to wear them. 

Another friend, my neighbor, heard I’d had a hard day. Meet me at the fence, she texted. We pass everything over our backyard fence – samples of new recipes, extra onions, garden fertilizer. 

But this time she handed me half a slice of pound cake someone had shared with her. It was still warm. And she gave me the best half – the top, with that amazing crust. Now that’s love. 

My best friend in college pulled me aside one day to inform me that half the girls in my class were angry at me. I’d been lazy and had neglected my duties in the dental clinic, and they were righteously indignant. 

She could have joined in as they griped and complained about me, but instead she did the hard thing. She confronted me, in love. I was mortified. That evening I wrote notes of apology and taped one to each girl’s locker. 

No one ever mentioned the incident again, but I learned two lessons. First, pull your weight and work hard. Second, being a friend sometimes means saying hard things. 

This year I’m reading through the Bible again. I just read about David and Jonathan. Although they should have been enemies, pushed apart by jealousy and rivalry, instead they were friends from their first meeting. 

First Samuel 18:1 describes their relationship: “After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.” 

Like my examples above, David and Jonathan’s friendship was characterized by love, generosity, and loyalty. They enjoyed each other’s company and doing things together. They gave willingly and generously. They stood by each other during dark days. 

I hope you have at least one friend who loves you like herself. If so, I encourage you not to take her for granted. It’s easy to allow the pace of life to keep us from cultivating our most meaningful relationships.

June 8 is National Best Friend Day. Why not make plans now to do something special with that friend who makes your life smile? 

And what if you don’t have a David/Jonathan-type friendship? Pray. Ask God to give you one. Then watch for opportunities to show friendship to others. Look for chances to serve rather than be served.  Proverbs 18:24 (NKJV) reminds us, “A man who has friends must himself be friendly.”

Remember that 24-hour, 1,200-mile road trip I’m planning? I’ll be traveling to attend my dear friend Debbie’s wedding in Delaware.

Debbie and I became friends ten years ago when she was a new member of our Sunday School class. Hearing that she had just had knee surgery, I volunteered to bring her lunch. 

As we visited, we discovered a mutual love for God and his Word. Our hearts have been knit together ever since. 

If suspect that if I hadn’t stepped out of my comfort zone to serve someone I didn’t know well, Debbie and I might never have become friends. 

That’s a sad thought. Over the past 10 years we’ve served, prayed, laughed, and ministered together. My life is richer because I know her. 

What about you? Do you have a treasured friend? What makes your friendship special? Leave a comment below and share your story. If you're reading by email, click HERE to visit Hungry for God online and leave a comment.

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