A Friend for All Seasons

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”

Proverbs 17:17 (NIV)

This past Saturday I was in Michigan with my best friend Joel.  I drove from my parent’s house to his, about a 2 hour drive.  A couple of months ago we had agreed to not drink any pop (or, soda) until we had a Mountain Dew together during our visit.  We stopped at a gas station, Joel put gas in the van, and then he purchased two 20-ounce bottles of Mountain Dew.  We enjoyed our Dew together as we drove to the Black River to do some winter hiking. 

The picture below is us together this past Saturday.  We had hiked to Rainbow Falls on the Black River.  As we walked we talked – about medical insurance, for one.  The Detroit Tigers were another topic of conversation. 

As we drove back down the road we tried to remember how long we’ve been friends.  We met in high school, in our church’s youth group.  I was probably 14 years old.  We think that by this time next year we will have been friends for 20 years.  Whether that number is precise or not, nevertheless, we’ve been friends for well more than half my life. 

Our friendship has stood the test of time.  Even though I’ve been in Texas for over 12 years now, and we’ve lived away from each other for longer than that, I still feel incredibly close to Joel and at ease when we are together.  I know he will always be there for me, no matter what happens.  I feel tremendously blessed to have a friend like him in my life.   

Proverbs 18:24 says, “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (NKJV)  I’ve always thought of the “friend” in this verse as being Jesus.  Jesus is a friend who sticks close than a brother.  He has been a friend in my life who has never given up on me.  He has always been faithful.  Even when I have fallen down, when I have failed, He overlooks my faults and weaknesses and gives me the strength to carry on. 

I am thankful for other friends too, friends like Joel, who have stuck with me during the seasons of my life.  I am thankful for the friends in my life… men like Dan, Carey, Josh, Mike, etc… who are faithful and true friends.  And I am thankful for Jesus, the friend who loves at all times.