January 26, 2016 (Tuesday)
The acronym “BFF” was added to the New Oxford American Dictionary on 16 September 2010, defined as, “A person’s best friend”. The entry states that BFF originated in 1996 as a means of saying, “best friends forever.” It has become popular in the sending of digital messages. It’s shorthand for expressions of deep friendship.
Proverbs 18:24 is about friendship. It states, “there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother,” meaning that we can have a friend who loves us even more than our family loves us. The first part of the verse seems to say that we can lose “fair weather” friends, but we will never lose the kind of friend who sticks with us no matter what. We have our “good” days and “bad” days, and our genuine friend will ignore our bad attitudes and actions and love us even on our worst days.
Perhaps this discussion brings to mind someone in your life who never ever lets you down, who is even closer than any of your family. If you have such a friend, be thankful.
But wait, if you know Jesus as your personal Savior, you do have such a friend. It is no accident that we have a hymn entitled, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” The song exclaims, “What a privilege to carry everything to Him in prayer,” which is another way of saying we can always talk with our Savior, Jesus, about anything and everything. He is our friend–the kind that “sticks closer than a brother.” He loves us unconditionally. He always forgives us. It is His love for us that inspired the Apostle Paul to write, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV). I don’t think I’m being impious when I say, “Love learned this from Jesus.” This is the way our friend of all friends loves us. Be thankful. You have a friend in Him.