Friendship

In this world, it is hard to find true friendship. People prefer to be friends only with the rich, the famous, the powerful, or the influential. Most friendships are based on needs: I’m friends with you because I need something from you. This is not supposed to be the case. We all need to learn and be reminded of what true friendship means.

Have you ever wondered why it was very easy for you to find good friends, even best friends when you were younger (in grade or secondary school)? But why is it so hard to find friends when you are already a grown up, an adult? I’m talking about friends who are there for you, through thick and thin, not those who only say hi and bye, and definitely not those who stick around you when you are doing well but leave you the moment you are down.

Generally, children don’t have problem finding friends. It’s very easy for them to find BFF (Best Friend Forever). It’s because their hearts are still pure, and they are innocent. Their friendship is not based on needs. Then the parents will come in the picture and influence their minds: Be friends with the rich, you’ll get good connection, or with the smart, you’ll be able to learn from him. This marks the beginning of conditional friendship.

The Bible teaches us to be like a child if we want to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. We need to learn from the little ones about friendship. We must develop this attitude: I’m friends with you because I really care for you, not because I need something from you. Jesus is a friend to everyone, even to the sinners and poor. Not because He needs something from them, but because He cares and loves them.

We may have thousands of friend lists in our Facebook, thousands of contact lists in our Blackberry Messenger, but if we have not even said hi to them for a very long period of time, what’s the use of it? Are we really their friend? Some of us won’t even return calls, don’t care to ask ‘How are you.’ On birthday and anniversary, we don’t greet them. When they lose their loved ones, we don’t give our condolences.  We have become ignorant, because we think we don’t need anything from them. We will only look for them when we need them.

We can’t expect others to offer their true friendship if we can’t become true friends ourselves. We should treat others the way we want others to treat us. Let’s change. Let’s become more like Jesus.  Be a caring and loving person today, and every single day of our lives.

This post is also available in: Indonesian