A Friend

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.  But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. - Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

How great it is to have a friend.  Someone who is there.  The best friend is the one who doesn't always agree with us and is willing to call to us when we are going in the wrong direction.  Unfortunately, most people consider that person a non-friend as they view such support as judgment or non-support.  I know people who claim the verse from Proverbs 27:17 "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."  Yet when you confront them about something in their life that is wrong and they disagree with you they then stop communicating with you.  I think that people, in general, want a friend to agree with them and not to hold them accountable for their actions or behavior as it relates to God.  But what kind of fair-weather friend is that?  How does that build up or make sharper?

When I read these verses I immediately think of my wife (especially the keeping warm part) and I would hope that every spouse would also think first of theirs.  Together we have a better return for our work.  Together we can pick one another up when we are down.  Together we can stay warmer.  And together we can defend ourselves.  Marriage is a together work, not a one working with another one working and they just happen to live together.  These verses describe the benefits of being together.

Again, how great it is to have a friend.  Someone you know you can call anytime with a real need and never have to worry about them providing the support to pull you out of the need.  You know and do not doubt that they will be there for you, even if you haven't seen or talked to them in a while.  You trust them.  But how many of us Christians do not have that same regard for the living Christ?  Jesus said that He is closer than a brother.  Jesus called us friends.  Do we know and have confidence in Him?  Do we know that with Him we will have the best return for our labor?  Do we know that He will always pick us up when we fall?  Do we not know that He will always dwell in our heart and keep our spirit warm?  Do we not trust that He will defend us?  Walk with your Master today and let Him walk with you.  How great it is to have Him as a friend!