What is a Friend?

We all have friends; people we know, and around from day to day. But what is a TRUE friend?

Well, some would say a true friend does things for you, others would say that a friend sticks around no matter what, and yet others say that a friend is someone you can tell anything to. Some would say that a true friend is all three. But I think we could all agree that a friend loves.

But today 'love' is a loose term, one that is tossed around lightly and really has no significance.
So rather than first ask what a friend is, I want to ask what 'love' is.
Dictionary time!!!
"Love" is defined as a verb, or a noun.

Love[luhv]-noun
1.A profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.
2.A feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.

But the "love" I think that people would use to describe friends is the verb 'love'.

–verb (used with object)
15.to have love or affection for: All her pupils love her.
16.to have a profoundly tender, passionate affection for (another person).
17.to have a strong liking for; take great pleasure in: to love music.
And this is my favorite description of love:
18.to need or require; benefit greatly from: Plants love sunlight.

The Bible describes love like this:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV)

Okay, so if a friend is loving then...
A friend is patient,kind, doesn't envy, doesn't boast, a friend isn't proud (or rude). A friend isn't self-seeking, easily angered, and keeps no record of wrongs. A friend doesn't delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. A friend always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Pretty cool, huh?
Better yet, Jesus says in John 15 that we are his friends!! Check it out:

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

(John 15:12-15)
Awesome! So even if you feel like you HAVE no friends, you do (if you have a relationship with Jesus).
Keep being a friend, Keep sinking up!!