To have a friend, be one
ALL OF us need at least one or two close friends, suggests Pastor Ramkumar Jewanram, who, quoting a youngster he once encountered, defines a friend as “someone who knows all about you and likes you just the same.” He also quotes Ralph Waldo Emerson as saying: “A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature,” and Henry Durbanville as making the following observation: “A friend is the first person to come in when the whole world goes out.”
He is in total agreement with King Solomon, who is quoted as saying in Proverbs 17:17: “A friend loves at all times.”
“We can’t improve on that definition,” Jewanram says, adding: “To have someone who remains true to us under all circumstances is one of life’s choicest blessings. The support and encouragement that only a close friend can offer is sorely needed when the burdens of life weigh heavily upon us. Jesus, of course, is the ultimate friend, for He laid down his life for his friends (John 15:13).
“Proverbs 18:24 makes an important point, and takes us beyond a description of what it means to be a friend. It says that ‘a man who has friends must himself be friendly.’ The implication is clear: Friendliness must begin with us; we must take the initiative in developing relationships with others. Let us be to others what we desire for ourselves. When it comes to friends, to have one, you must be one!”
In conclusion, Jewanram, who pastors at the Jewanram Eagle Ministries at Non Pariel, East Coast Demerara, says: “As a follower of Jesus, The Greatest friend, no matter what circumstances you find yourself in, I want to remind that Jesus is with you. I encourage you to live in the light of this truth. Or, if you are still on your journey to discover a relationship with the God of history, I warmly invite to put your faith in Jesus Christ, the one who is called Emmanuel. Have a Blessed and a Christ-friendly 2012.”