Recognize the value of these types of bonds that surround you from the beginning of our lives. Explore the following article to help you re-establish priorities.
"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." 1 John 4:7
Friendship is a precious gift that God has bestowed upon us. We often use the term so much that we lose sight of its true meaning and weight. However, it is one of the most beautiful blessings we have and we should honor it in His name.
Throughout our lives, we cultivate friendships of various kinds. We have so many people with whom we interact and to whom we take brotherly affection, that we may think they will all be there when we need them the most.
However, we must understand that a true friend is not only the one who accompanies us in happy moments, but also those who walk with us in the most difficult moments of life.
"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." John 15:13
Often, because of differences of opinion with others, we may feel alienated and even disliked. However, if we know that it is a true friendship born of the heart, we must develop our gifts of humility, compassion and faithfulness to understand the context in which disagreements occur.
Let us be receptive and willing to listen to what they want to tell us, to understand their motivations and concerns, and they will do the same with us.
Because, ultimately, a friend is someone that God has put in our path to transit, from that symbol of brotherly love, the moments of harvest and the most intense storms.
"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity." Proverbs 17:17
We find the true essence of this wonderful feeling and the authentic and profound value of a friend. This affectionate reciprocity is based on values such as selfless love, sincerity, loyalty and respect. It is a commitment that God has blessed us with and we should cherish it as a precious treasure of the Spirit.
Christ calls us friends and loves us unconditionally. This means that His love for us goes beyond our mistakes and shortcomings. That is why it is fundamental to follow His example and apply it to our friendships.
"Two are better than one, for they get more fruit from their toil." Ecclesiastes 4:9
When our burdens become too heavy and we feel we cannot meet the challenge, we can always count on the support and advice of our friends. They will help us to overcome the difficulties that arise in our lives.
Let us be supportive and merciful to our brothers and sisters, let us be their support in times of distress and never abandon them.
We must recognize friendship as a gift from God, a blessing through which God allows us to overcome and transform ourselves continually. In every act of love and support for our friends, we honor God and his love for us.