The Gift of Friendship

The Gift of Friendship

It has been said that there is no greater love than to lay down your life for a friend.  There is no truer statement as when we hear this demonstrated again and again in the news.  Almost daily we hear of someone risking their life for another.  I have asked myself what kind of courage is this.  After closer examination I believe that this is the ultimate measure of friendship.  Most of these heroes do not look at themselves as one.  They just saw that something needed to be done and without hesitation they did it.  On the other extreme being a friend can be as simple as being there or standing in the gap when someone is going through a hard and difficult time.  Often times I think some people stay away because they do not know what to do or say. We probably all have stories like this that we can relate to.    I have been in this place.  I had this friend who was dying of cancer and her doctors told her that she did not have much time left.  I felt so bad for her and her family but I did not know what to do.  I wanted to call on her more than I did.  I wanted to cheer her up in some way.  I was afraid of saying the wrong thing.  I mean what do you say to someone that is just given a few weeks to live?  I have since learned that it is not as important in what you say as in how you listen.  Most of the time that person just wants to know that someone is listening.  I mean really listening.  This kind of listening involves the heart, a heart of compassion.   The majority of people are not looking to be fixed as much as just having a compassionate person to share their feelings with. 

When I was a young boy growing up on the farm I had a Great Dane called Duke.  Duke was as big as I was and my best buddy.  Most all the time when I would be outside Duke would be right there by my side.  When I would talk to him he would look at me like he could understand every word I was saying.  There were times I believe that he actually could.  There were occasions when I was feeling really down about something and I believe he could since that.  Duke would stay even closer to me during those times.  I would talk to him and for some reason always feel better after sharing my problems with my big friend.  Maybe this is one of the reasons they call a dog man’s best friend.  Friendship is such a needed and powerful thing.  In a world of strangers a friend is of great worth.  I have always felt that if it were not for the differing views of politicians in many nations around the world that most people would get along just fine.  I do not believe that we are that much different from one another outside of our social upbringing.  We laugh, we cry, we love, we hope, we might even share a dream.  Some people work so hard to make their world a better place to live by building walls that separate rather than building bridges.  This may be a topic for another day but this subject on friendship has made me rethink of what kind of a friend I am to others.  It makes me recall a difficult period in my life when I lost everything through a series of bad choices.  I lost my livelihood, my home, my cars and eventually my family.  This was a very dark time for me and I really had no desire to go on with my life.  I lost my purpose to live.  I sat down and began to write my thoughts on a piece of paper.  It started out to be a letter and ended up being a poem instead.  This kind of expression has always been a release for me.   I didn’t have any idea of who to send it to because I did not feel that there was anyone left in my life that really cared.   I was having a major pity party.  By the grace of God I am still here.  People that I did not even know before my tumble just seemingly appeared in my life when I needed a friend the most.  I think that my New Years Resolution this year will be for me to be a friend to someone in need of one.  I know the pain of loneliness when it seemed that there was no one else to care.  This holiday season think of maybe giving the gift of friendship to someone very much in need of a friend.  It costs very little except for a little of your time.

Have a blessed day,

Sincerely, Your Friend

Inside of this letter I am sending my heart

Please handle with care,

For it has been broken apart

Buffeted and battered and bruised from within

Please guard this broken vessel

Sincerely, your friend.

Enclosed is a is a treasure, like pearls are my tears

That were bought for a ransom,

Has redeemed all my years

When the Master comes calling, as He promised to mend

Give to him this broken vessel

Sincerely, your friend

He is the Master Potter, like clay in his hands

He’ll remold my broken heart,

On His promise I will stand

As it goes through the fire, I’ve no fear. He’s the best

It will come out bright and shining

It will pass this last test

When He’s finished, take it gently and put it high on a shelf

You were kind and very thoughtful,

Thank you for your help

Through broken heart and shattered dreams by my side you have been

Closer than a brother

Sincerely, your friend

For a friend is there to walk beside you in darkness and despair

And when you fall they will lift you up

And hold you up in prayer,

A friend will stand the test of time, compassion they will show

A friend is a friend for ever,

This you will always know

For a greater love has no one than

To lay his life down for a friend

By Terry Earp