March 1, 2016

Friendship!

Wisdom of Sirach 6:14-17 LXX

A faithful friend is a strong shelter,
And he who finds one finds a treasure.
There is nothing that can take the place of a faithful friend,
And there is no way to measure his worth.
A faithful friend is a medicine of life,
And those who fear the Lord will find him.
He who fears the Lord guides his friendship rightly,
Because as he is, so also is his neighbor.

Personal Challenge

Friendship! What a valuable part of our human state. I can say that in my life I can only remember one friend that has this close to me, and then I moved half way across the country. Why is it that men have such a hard time making close and intimate friendships such as this massage elicits? Could it be that we have fallen prey to the belief that individualism is what makes us real men? This is such a shame because we are missing so much that could improve our lives as well as the lives of others. I am so blessed to have a wife who is not only my partner in life, but also is my best friend, but there is also that need for a Barnabas in my life, such as Paul had. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!