Friends?

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24 (ESV)

It just goes to show how the Bible is the living word. The KJV translates this verse as "must show himself friendly", but
it is more like show himself self friendly, or destructive. Pretty interesting. I do want to talk about friends. They
are really the heart beat of life. We have acquaintances, friends, good friends, best friends, chums, buddies, wives
and husbands, brothers and sisters, all sorts of friends. Some couple are in denial, "we're just friends", others
deny their feelings, "no we don't know each other that well." Everywhere in the world friends are how people live.
Jesus had friends many, he had twelve that were very close, three that were even closer, and one that was especially close.
He said to them at the end of his earthly ministry: "The greatest love you can show is to give your life for your friends.
You are my friends if you obey my commandments. I don't call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn't know what his master is doing.
But I've called you friends because I've made known to you everything that I've heard from my Father." (John 15:13-15 God's Word)

Here in Africa, I praise God I have been able to make very good friends inside and outside the church. I really appreciate
my Adventist friends, there is an immediate bond with someone who is striving and struggling on the same path you are,
and with the same belief system. But I am glad to have friends outside the church, especially by friendship, I hope
they will someday join the church and become faithful Christians. The hard part is being everyone's friend. I am not sure if it is simply that
friendship is not a big deal here, but I can have people saying I am their friend in a heartbeat. Yes unfortunately I have to realize
that many call me friend to dig into my pockets. But some whom I know are not looking for money, still call me friend without
much of a relationship. Is friendship easier here in Africa, than the complexity of western friendship, or is it not as sacred or treasured?
Well I do not know if there is an answer to that, but it's worth a thought or two. I just read this morning for my devotional Matthew 6:43-48.
Praying for our enemies, blessing those who curse us, etc. As a Christian in theory I love everybody, in practice I love everyone with God's
grace keeping me level headed. Actually it's not hating people that's hard for me, it's being friends. (The big questions, can I love people but not like them,
sometimes I don't know if that's worth asking?) There are people we get along easily with, and that's okay, we should really
treasure those friends, Jesus had that in Lazurus, a great friend, as well as Mary and Martha. Enoch was such a close friend that God
took him to be with Him permanently. But that doesn't mean I can't be friends with those who are bit tougher to get along with. Usually
it is my problem and not theirs. In our AFM training I learned that usually the things that bug us in others are our own weaknesses exagerrated.
Ouch! I do try to be wise, there are friends, as you know, that want just money, and while I am courteous to them, and do consider
them a soul worthy of my time, I cannot spend too much time building that friendship, because well they don't want a real one to begin with.
But that is easier said than done. Even good friends whom I thought were just friends, ask for things, because they think I have the dough, and
sometimes I am glad to help since we are good friends. When I was looking for my new apartment, I met Hyppolite, when I asked him
whether there was a house in the area. He knew maybe, so we walked around, we met up with two other young guys, Fatou (now a neighbor) and Manesou
(almost a neighbor, not too far away), they showed me my current location with Hyppolite tagging along. Well Hyppolite stopped by few more, times
I had given him money for his help with house hunting, and he presented me another problem about a girl he got pregnant in the south of the country
and he needed the money to go there. Well I have found it is better to say nothing, so I did, but gave him some tea for his running nose, and some extra curtains
I had. He was glad. I stopped by his house a few times but he was never there. A few days ago he called me to say he found a job in Djougou, an hour south of here,
as a chaffeur, which is the work he was trained in. I wondered what happened to the pregnant girl, but didn't question him on that. He said I should call him to see
how he is doing every once in a while. Well why should I be the one to call, he could too. But I consented, and figured I call him once a week. On Saturday night
he calls back, and says he is out of credit and I should call him. I relent, and he asks why I hadn't called, it had been three or four days since we last
talked. I said I was planning on calling him weekly. He responded that we were sincere (that's the exact word in French he used) friends and that
it was not like that for sincere friends. I have known him for a total of maybe two or three weeks, he has been to my house once, and I have been to his
once maybe three times when he was there. I didn't whether to get mad or laugh. Well I just said nothing, and moved the conversation on. I thought it better
not to offend him, but really I don't even call my own parents more than once a week, and this dude whom I barely know and has already asked me
for funds, though indirectly, wants me call him what daily? But then my conscience pricks a little, he is a soul who needs Jesus, and I have already forgotten
that in the same funds conversation we talked about church and the Bible and I could see he is really searching for the right religion and a friendship
with Jesus.
Through it all God's wisdom is the only way to go! He knows it all, and is humble at the same time! There is a balance, many of my friends, or those who
are starting friendship with me, have much more time than I do, to sit around and talk. I do try to be more people focused, but there are responsibilities
too, as I trust God's leading, I am sure to navigate the two together!