A Journey Toward Wisdom - Pt. 12

 

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. (Proverbs 17:17 ESV).

 

Today we come to one of the most famous, well-known Proverbs. At this point in our journey toward wisdom it is a good time to think about friends in our life. Friends we might have now. Friends we might have had in the past. And the value of friends who love us and people who love us, who walk with us through adversity. This is a gift from God. And it’s a gift we need from God. We need people around us who love us, who help us walk through adversity. Not one of us was intended to walk through this life alone. We need friends like that around us. Ad, we need to be friends like that. We don’t just need to read this verse and think about, “Well, who loves me like this?” We’ve should ask the question, “Who do I love like this?” Not just who walks with me through adversity, but who can I walk with through adversity. Who can I help in the middle of adversity?

 

I hope you have people like that in your life. However, if you have no one to call your friend, let me remind you that you have One who is always present and will indeed never walk away from you. His name is Jesus. This is what He said:

 

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:12-15 ESV).

 

It is amazing to me that Jesus would be my friend. He is the One who spoke the entire universe into existence. With all of its complexity and diversity, Jesus merely spoke and it was done perfectly as He desired it to be done. I find it easy to forget that from time to time, especially when things are difficult. However, it was true then, and continues to be true now and forever. Jesus is our friend. He knows every pain and trial I will experience and loves me through all of it. That’s good news!