Of all the places we鈥檝e lived in our nearly 50 years of marriage, I can think of only one neighbour who didn鈥檛 become a friend. While we certainly didn鈥檛 become buddies with every one of them, we always had a good relationship and we were quick to watch out for each other鈥檚 welfare. (In fact, just yesterday I received another act of kindness from neighbours across the street. While waiting for the bus, they stopped and offered me a ride to town where my meeting was being held. It wasn鈥檛 necessary but given the rain and wind, it was most welcome.)
Solomon has a lot to say about friendship; in fact, I counted nearly twenty references to the subject. For example, I love the words of Proverbs 17:9: 鈥淗e who conceals a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends.鈥� There鈥檚 little more valuable and comforting than to have friends you know you can trust completely 鈥� after all, who of us hasn鈥檛 failed or provided fodder for gossip should someone wish to spread it around?
Given that we all fail, how should real friends react to wrongs done to them or to others? In another passage (Proverbs 25:9) Solomon instructs friends to discuss the matter between themselves: 鈥淒ebate your case with your neighbour himself and do not disclose the secret to another鈥�.鈥� If there鈥檚 a key to genuine and lasting friendship, I believe it鈥檚 got to be genuine trustworthiness.
Then there is the element of exhorting and encouraging one another; I especially like The Passion Translation rendering of Proverbs 27:9 鈥淪weet friendships refresh the soul and awaken our hearts with joy, for good friends are like the anointing oil that yields the fragrant incense of God鈥檚 presence.鈥�
Friends 鈥� be they living nearby or dwelling in our hearts, they鈥檙e a genuine gift.
