26 Mar The Essence of a Real Friendship by Mariam Mokgethi
Friendship, one author wrote that it is the highest form of relationship ever spoken of in the bible, quoting and studying scripture like. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you – John 15 v 15, although Jesus said those words talking to the disciples, the relationship Jesus had with them is the one He so openly made available by laying down His life a selfless sacrifice made in love for his friends and his family. Abraham was another whom God considered a friend; James 2 v 23. This then forces one to think, what qualities did those individuals possess that they were considered friends of God, because God formed friendship, as his sons and daughters we ought to emulate the kind of friendship God designed so we ourselves form such friendships on earth with our fellow earthlings to enjoy a fulfilled and complete life. Often, I hear people saying… she is no longer my friend; I can’t be friends with such a person. What is it that we are failing to do that should be done?
Friendship is meant to be such a personal and nourishing relationship to both parties involved, it should be with the purpose of building, edifying, and elevating one another. These days the major problem is people form friendships for convenience, for the sake of fitting in and being accepted in the end result those friendships end when the need to keep them do(the condition upon which the friendship is based), one party gets drained emotionally, psychologically, or even financially, one party gives and the other takes. This is far from the idea God had in mind when He formed the concept called friendship. The big question then becomes, what is the essence of a real friendship? What do I ought to do or not to do to enjoy a friendship with one who will stick closer to a brother? A friendship like that of David son of Jesse and future king of Israel and Prince Jonathan son of King Saul.
I don’t know about you but that is exactly what I would want to have, but like every good thing that life has to offer, a real friendship has requirements of its own- among others a healthy dose of love, mutual respect, selflessness, patience, and understanding, seems to me like that’s 1st Corinthians 13 summed up. Sometimes for one to truly understand friendship, one ought to go back to the basics, to the author of friendship the maker of friendship, what did he have in mind when he used the word friend to describe a certain level of relating to one another?
I am all about finding out what makes a fulfilling and long-lasting friendship, what is the essence of a friendship, a friendship that adds value and comes to one like the sweet-smelling air of the first morning of Spring.
Mariam Mokgethi is from Botswana, a mother and attends college full time.
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