What is a Friend?
FRIEND IN LANGUAGE
Well, let’s look at the definition first!
1. A person whom one knows, likes, and trusts.
2. A person whom one knows; an acquaintance.
3. A person with whom one is allied in a struggle or cause; a comrade.
4. One who supports, sympathizes with, or patronizes a group, cause, or movement.
5. One who is attached to another by affection; one who entertains for another sentiments of esteem, respect and affection, which lead him to desire his company, and to seek to promote his happiness and prosperity; opposed to foe or enemy. (Webster’s 1828)
Now let’s look at the Word History
1. A friend is a lover, literally. The relationship between Latin amīcus "friend" and amō "I love" is clear, as is the relationship between Greek philos "friend" and phileō "I love."
2. In English, though, we have to go back a millennium before we see the verb related to friend. At that time, frēond, the Old English word for "friend," was simply the present participle of the verb frēon, "to love."
3. The Germanic root behind this verb is *frī-, which meant "to like, love, be friendly to." Closely linked to these concepts is that of "peace," and in fact Germanic made a noun from this root, *frithu-, meaning exactly that.
A FRIEND IS…
Someone you can reach out to.
• Nevertheless Haman refrained himself: and when he came home, he sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife. - Esther 5:10
Someone you can talk to, share things with, and will not BS with you.
• And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him. - Esther 6:13
• He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail. - Job 17:5
Someone you can count on
• Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. - Proverbs 27:17
Someone who doesn’t talk bad about you behind your back.
• A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends. - Proverbs 16:28
Someone who loves you at all times
• A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. - Proverbs 17:17
Someone who hurts for you
• Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. - Proverbs 27:6
Someone who gives you the right kind of counsel, no matter how pleasant..
• Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel. - Proverbs 27:9
Someone to rejoice with.
• And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. - Luke 15:6
JESUS IS YOUR FRIEND!
• If you are saved, Jesus is a person you know.
• Jesus is on YOUR SIDE! Allied with you against every foe you encounter.
• Jesus is your lover. He loves you at all times, no matter where you are or what you do.
• You can reach out to Jesus any time you want to. Its called prayer.
• Jesus definitely will not BS with you, nor talk about you behind his back.
• You can share anything with Jesus, he already knows!
• You can count on Jesus for anything.
• Jesus will give you the right kind of counsel, no matter how pleasant it is.
• Jesus wants to promote your happiness and prosperity.
• Jesus rejoices with you for every victory.
• Every sin you committed, are committing, and will commit have already hurt Jesus on Calvary.
JESUS CALLS YOU HIS FRIEND!
• And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. - Zechariah 13:6
• Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. - John 15:15
Jesus considers you to be a person he knows, likes, and trusts. Are you able to love him at all times? Can you rejoice with him whenever someone is won to Christ? Can you be someone he can count on, someone that won’t talk bad about him to some friends (or not talk about him at all) and talk good to others? Are you willing to be someone to hurt for him whenever someone disrespects Him?