True Friends

A friend loves at all times a brother is born for adversity. In the ideal world, how fortunate Christians are meant to be because all fellow Christians are supposed to be our friends and more than that brothers who would come to our aid in times of adversity.  But the book of Proverbs also tells us how human relationships are viewed, our social relationships with our neighbours and friends. I thought I needed wisdom so I read Proverbs this morning. I am sometimes too quick to trust people and sometimes feel betrayed as a result. When you think he is a friend and a brother who should behave in a certain way but then he fails it can be quite disappointing. I realised not all friends are true friends but worse they are enemies. I realised that not all brothers are true brothers because like Paul says one of the dangers he faced was false brothers.
Sometimes you expect a word of understanding or comfort but all you get is silence. If you have read the Gospels the only instance Jesus got angry was when people kept quiet when he asked whether it was lawful to heal on a Sabbath. Jesus got angry when people refused to make a stand for what is right and true. They treasured their traditions rather than see a man made whole. We still have many Pharisees among church members, those who claim to be friends and brothers. I appreciate that not all of us can agree on everything all the times and we have our differences, opinions and ideas. But do these differences put a barrier on friendship and brotherhood? I also read Job in these times of trials when many a time I do not know who my true friends are. Job’s three friends were not comforters but they served as accusers more than anything. But Job defended his integrity and his righteousness and he does not give an inch to his so called friends right to the end. At the end God proclaimed Job righteous and his friends sinners or have done wrongs that needed to be redressed by Job’s intercession. When you have friends like these we need enemies?