A FRIENDLY PASSENGER

The Holy Bible says, “….God has made you His friends, in order to bring you, holy, pure and faultless, into His presence. (Col. 1:22)

Lets us read about Job and his three true friends and also meditate on what the Holy Bible instructs us about friendship.

Three of Job’s friends were Eliphaz from the city of Teman, Bildad from the land of Shuah and Zophar from the land of Naamah.  When they heard how much Job had been suffering, they decided to go and comfort him.  While they were still a long way off, they saw Job but did not recognize him.  When they did, they began to weep and wail, tearing their clothes in grief and throwing dust into the air and on their heads.  Then they sat there on the ground with him for 7 days and nights without saying a word because they saw how much he was suffering.                      (Job 2:11-13)

FRIENDSHIP

If you are a polite and courteous, you will enjoy the friendship of many people.  Exchange greetings with many, but take advice from only one person out of a thousand.  When you make friends don’t be too quick to trust them make sure that they have proved themselves.  Some people will be your friends only when it is convenient for them, but they won’t stand by you in trouble.  Others will fall out with you over some arguments and then embarrass you by letting everyone know about it.  Others will sit at your table as long as things are going well; they will stick to you like your shadow and give orders to your servants, but they will not stand by you in trouble.  If your situation takes a turn for the worse, they will turn against you, and you won’t be able to find them anywhere. 

Stay away from your enemies and be on guard against your friends. A loyal friend is like a safe shelter; find one, and you have found a treasure. Nothing else is as valuable; there is no way of putting a price on it.  A loyal friend is like a medicine that keeps you in good health.  Only those who fear the Lord can find such a friend.  A person who fears the Lord can make real friendships, because he will treat his friends as he does himself because his friends will also fear the Lord.  (Sirach 6)