WHEN GOOD FRIENDS ARE HARD TO FIND

They say you can tell who your real friends are when you are in need......

My stomach's been upset since 12:30 a.m. It was so bad I had to be in the bathroom about 10 times before 6:00 a.m. We had an appointment at 10:00 a.m. in town. We ate at Chow Time for lunch but I had to watch what I eat so I just had a piece of bread, mushrooms, a bit of noodles and a small bowl of soup.

At suppertime, I wanted to eat something better so I could have strength for tomorrow's work. But my stomach was still bothering me so I could not and did not want to cook. I called Divina to ask what they're having for supper. She said she's not cooking anything because they were busy. When she asked why I was asking, I told her I was just wondering if what they're having is something I like and then told her my condition. That was 5:50 p.m. I told her never mind, I'll just see what I can eat.

She asked me if I could wait 'til 6:30 p.m. She cooked rice, vegetables and brought me a can of sprite. This was not the first time she took care of me when I was sick. Another time, she cooked fish for me when I was sick a few months ago.

Last Friday, John was brought to the ER via an ambulance. On the way to the ER, I called Ellen as she lives in Chipley. The first thing she told me was "I can walk to the Chipley Hospital, it's kind of near our house. I chose to pick her up instead so she did not have to walk. John was discharged from the hospital, and Ellen decided to go home with us and let her husband Arthur pick her up later.

At the house, she asked me what can she do to help. She said she will cook food but John did not like anything to eat. I finally convinced him to eat noodles which Ellen wanted to help cook.

My friends, I may not be rich materially but I am rich in friends. True friends are real blessings from God. To me, they are the extension of God's hands.

I saw two Filipina acquaintances at Chow Time earlier. They were telling me about friends who they do not want to be associated with anymore. I understand where they were coming from. I told them to go with their guts.

Sometimes, the people who we think are our friends are really not. Some stick only in good times and disappear in hard times, when we are down. It happened to my father when we were younger. When Daddy was prosperous, we had visitors in the house everyday. My father had good faith in everybody. It is not hard to get in his good graces.

When my father went down because of a bad financial investment, those friends who frequented our house stopped coming. I guess I've observed that some people want to be your friend if they can get anything out of you. And when they couldn't anymore, they stop being your friend.

There are many more true stories of friendship and betrayal. Spouses who their better halves vow to be their soul mates leave their partner for another person. Best friends who stab the other in the back; trusted colleagues selling out for monetary gain.

Brothers and sisters, we humans are weak, fallen beings. We are prone to sin. No one is exempted (Romans 3:23). But you know what is amazing? God knows this. He knows our very nature because He is the one who created us. He sent us His Son Jesus Christ to die a criminal's death to save us from sure death and give us eternal life.

Jesus, in fact, made this statement to His Apostles: "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you." (John 15:13-14). Jesus' friends love God and one another. They stick to their friends no matter what.

It is very assuring to know that even if our friends disappoint and betray us, we have a friend in Jesus. He is the only one who truly understands us, how we feel, and loves us even if He knows our weaknesses, all of our darkest thoughts. He will never betray us. He always has ears ready to hear us. All we need to do is call.

Today's reading says ASK.... SEEK... & KNOCK. If you haven't made that decision yet, I urge you to trust the Lord now. You do not know what you're missing!

"O sweet Jesus, no one is a better friend than You. Help me to always remember that. May I always be a true friend to those who trusted me as their own. Amen."

Meditation: Matthew 7:7-12

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which one of you would hand his son a stone
when he asked for a loaf of bread,
or a snake when he asked for a fish?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give good things
to those who ask him.

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the law and the prophets.”

--that in all things God may be glorified