First, they are trustworthy and always have your best interests in mind and we theirs. They can be trusted with confidential information, they have a deep and abiding love and you can always trust their motives. There is no pretense in their friendship and it is not based on anything we can give (although all friendships are mutual, one to the other). In other words we can be the real us with them and they with us.
Second, they (and we) can be counted on in good times and bad. We need faithful friends at all times of life but we really need them when the chips are down. Faithful friends go the distance and go out of their way when times are hard. Most move away from those who are in the hard times. Faithful friends move toward those who are in the hard times.
Third, faithful friends will tell one another the truth, even when it hurts. Who else will do that? Our enemies for sure but they have no redemptive motive in mind. Faithful friends do not let other friends go in the ditch if they can help it! They address issues they see in a loving and kind manner but they challenge one another to better living and better followership of Jesus.
Do you have such friends? Are you such a friend to others?
TJ Addington (Addington Consulting) has a passion to help individuals and organizations maximize their impact and go to the next level of effectiveness. He can be reached at tjaddington@gmail.com.
"Creating cultures of organizational excellence."
