What kind of friend am I?

Today's Precious Prodigal's Post is at = http://bit.ly/19sK9n6 #brotherlylove #aworkinprogress Our Current Meme is at = http://bit.ly/1D5V3LT Please "Like" & "Share" with your Facebook friends.

2 Peter 1:5-7 “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith…charity.”

A true friend is a wonderful gift that’s more precious than gold. That’s especially true if we’re walking a wilderness path, isn’t it? The consistent, encouraging love of a friend can make the difference between giving up and deciding to keep on going…just for today. That’s the kind of love that’s translated “Philia.”

To understand “Philia” love, it’s helpful to look first at “Storge” love. “Storge” is that love between parent and child, sisters and brothers. It’s the natural affection that comes from being closely connected in a family. While it’s not used in the Bible, it’s similar to another word that is used. That word is “Philia” or brotherly love.

Since we’re admonished to add charity or brotherly love to our faith, it might be a good idea to think about what that kind of love looks like and then to ask ourselves how we measure up in showing “brotherly love.”

Phileo love issues from the heart, and it’s a warm, affectionate love that blesses the person loved as well as the one showing the love. If I’m going to be a true friend, I’m going to demonstrate that kind of affection.

In the KJV, Proverbs 18:24 seems to say we must be friendly in order to have friends. While that’s certainly true, the NIV translates it better by saying that “Some friends play at friendship but a true friend sticks closer than one’s nearest kin.” Wow! That puts a whole new perspective on that familiar verse, doesn’t it? If I’m going to add charity or brotherly love to my faith, it means I need to be that true friend.

Being a true friend means I’m going to show up when my friends are hurting. It means I’m not going to judge them when they’re trying their best to figure out what they need to do. It means I’m not going to walk away when they need me the most. It means I won’t spread or listen to gossip about them, and I certainly won’t repeat what they’ve told me in confidence.

Showing that kind of love means I answer gently when my friends are impatient. It means I suit up and show up when they need support. When they are successful, I’m as delighted as I would be with my own success. When they fail, my heart breaks with and for them. Love means I pray for them, encourage them, want and hope the best for them.

It doesn’t, however, mean I always agree with them. When I’m sure they are wrong, I gently let them know what I think without attacking them. Loving them means I would rather have them angry with me for telling them the truth than to ignore something that could hurt them.

Many of my friends think I’m a naturally thoughtful friend, but they’re wrong. I’m naturally selfish just like anyone else. I’m much more about busy-ness than I am about thoughtfulness. If I’ve done something “thoughtful,” it’s because I’ve planned it and put it on a calendar. Otherwise, I get involved in my own “stuff” and forget to do that thoughtful thing. If I’m not thoughtful on purpose, I won’t be thoughtful at all.

Like the other things we’ve “added to our faith,” brotherly love isn’t a suggestion. It’s a directive. That means I need to worry less about whether my friends are showing brotherly love and more about whether I am.

Challenge for Today: What might happen if we, just for today, decided to add brotherly love to our faith?