WE all crave to be loved and appreciated. Man is a social being; hence he is made to find comfort and companionship in the midst of people. No man is an island, goes a popular saying. That means that we cannot do it all alone. We need the assistance and encouragement of others to live fulfilled lives. While on earth, Jesus too appreciated the need for
friendship. Realising the fact that for the work of the gospel to be effective, He needed to bring together some group of people, whom He would nurture into understanding Who He was and the need for them to keep the flag flying when He ascends into heaven.
Thus, Peter, James, John and the other disciples became His very trusted companions and friends with whom He shared virtually everything. Through them, the gospel of salvation was to eventually reach most parts of the world.
Unfortunately too, one of His close confidants, Judas,
became one of the most notorious traitors the world has ever known. For mere pieces of silver, he sold out his Lord
to be crucified.
In today’s world also, we hear stories of friendship gone sour. We learn of people who betray their loved ones for the sake of material things. Some even go to the extent of using their friends for money ritual. In this sort of atmosphere, some may ask, is friendship really necessary?
What exactly does friendship entail? What are the qualities of true friendship?
Jesus threw more light on the essence of friendship. In John 15:15: “I no longer call you servants, because a
servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I
have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
From the above, Jesus showed us that we as Christians
are not slaves, but His friends. When we abide by God’s injunction, we become close associates with the divine. We are thus made to share intimate moments with God our Creator.
A true friend is one who is always there for you.
Unfortunately, these days, we have so many who come for selfish reasons. They come to you when they need
something from you and once they get it, they disappear.
These are not true friends. Beware!
There are some friendships based on mutual interest such as sports friends. If you lose interest in that common pleasure, the friendship ends. There are friends of virtue based on mutual respect for one another. Such respect may even rise to admiration. You value one another as people, and you enjoy one another’s company. You are their friend, not for how they can benefit you or how they can bring you
pleasure, but simply because you like them. This is the
highest form of friendship. It is the type of friendship David and Jonathan shared.
Here are some characteristics of true friendship you must watch out for: A true friend rejoices in your joys and is saddened in your sorrows. A true friend won’t defriend you if you disagree. A true friend stays in regular contact with you. A true friend is someone whom you trust implicitly. A true friend remains loyal during times of stress and strife.
He always tries to make sacrifices for you. A good friend is always kind and willing to share with you. Most importantly, Jesus Christ remains the best friend you can ever have because He gave up His life for you and me.
Very Rev. Msgr. Osu, Director, Social Communications,
Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos.
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