I met him in the 1970s when I was a high school English teacher and basketball coach, and he was a tall, gangly freshman. Soon he was on my basketball team and in my classesâand a friendship was formed. This same friend, who had served with me as a fellow editor for many years, stood before me at my retirement party and shared about the legacy of our longstanding friendship.
What is it about friends connected by the love of God that encourages us and brings us closer to Jesus? The writer of Proverbs understood that friendship has two encouraging components: First, true friends give valuable advice, even if itâs not easy to give or take (27:6): âWounds from a friend can be trusted,â the writer explains. Second, a friend who is nearby and accessible is important in times of crisis: âBetter a neighbor nearby than a relative far awayâ (v. 10).
Itâs not good for us to fly solo in life. As Solomon noted: âTwo people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeedâ (Ecclesiastes 4:9 nlt). In life, we need to have friends and we need to be friends. May God help us âlove one another with brotherly affectionâ (Romans 12:10 esv) and âcarry each otherâs burdensâ (Galatians 6:2)âbecoming the kind of friend that can encourage others and draw them closer to the love of Jesus.