“Wounds from a friend can be trusted… the pleasantness of one’s friend springs from his earnest counsel… Do not forsake your friend… As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” - Proverbs 6, 9, 10, 17 (NIV)

People come into our lives like the tides of the sea. They come in at high tide and are gone with the outgoing. There are some people though, that stay with us through the seasons of life until the very last leaf has fallen. Down through the years, I have had a good number of acquaintances, but only a few friends.

If there were a book written on  "Friendship for Dummies", the first chapter would be entitled, "To Have a Friend, You Must Be A Friend". Solomon speaks of being a friend that gives loving correction that can be trusted. He speaks of giving earnest counsel that refreshes the heart of a friend. He encourages faithfulness to a friend in their troubles and trials. As a result, a person is better equipped and "sharper" for the challenges of life when they have such a friend.

Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13) How good it is to have such a friend as Jesus. His friendship is more valuable than gold. But consider this, we are friends with Jesus because he befriended us first. Remember, "to have a friend, you must be a friend".