Fear gripped one of the two World War
I soldiers when he saw his life-long friend fall in the battle. Bullets flying
in every direction, he asked his lieutenant if he could go to the trenches and
retrieve his fallen comrade.
“You
can go,” said the lieutenant, “but I don’t think it will be worth it. Your
friend is probably dead and you may throw away your own life.”
Immediately the young soldier took off
running towards the trenches and miraculously he returned to his own company
hoisting his friend on his shoulders. As they stumbled together to the bottom
of the trench, the officer looked intently at the young soldier.
“I
told you it wouldn’t be worth it. Your friend is dead and you’re fatally
wounded.”
“Yes
sir,” the solider replied, “but it was totally worth it because when I
got to him he was still alive.” I had the satisfaction of hearing him say, “I knew you’d come!”
This Memorial Day, let’s honor all the
service men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our family,
friends and country.
Today, I also want to take this
opportunity to talk about the value of friendship in our lives. Often we take
our friends for granted. We expect them to be there for us even if we don’t invest
in them. True friendship is a two way street. Here are a few thoughts on
developing long-lasting friendships.
Seek for ways to deposit into your
friends. When we are aware of what our friends mean to us, we will find ways to
add value to their lives.
Visit
or call your friends for no reason. Life gets
busy and we get carried away with our daily activities. If our “contacts” only
reflect the people we do business with we’re living in a very small world. Drop
by at a friend’s home or work place. Give a call just to check on them.
Expand
the landscape of your friendship. Don’t just
make friends with people who look, talk and act like you. How boring is that? Cultivate
friendship from various groups of people regardless of their color, culture or
ethnic background. Try different types of food with your friends. Go to their cultural
events. Watch a movie or listen to music in different languages. Visit your
friend’s church. You’ll be amazed how your life will be enriched simply by expanding
the landscape of your friendship.
Express
your feelings in writing. Written
notes, cards and letters have a special meaning. It can have a multiple impact.
When you express your friendship in writing, it can be appreciated many times in
the years to come. Handwritten notes are a rarity today. Send postcards or a
picture of your times together.
Another way you can solidify
friendship is to give gifts. Little gifts
that convey the message “I’m thinking
about you or I care about you” can mean the world to a friend who is going
through a rough patch. A gift doesn’t have to be expensive but I’ve never met a
person who doesn’t want to receive a gift.
Be
loyal. Friendship starts with trust but
loyalty is the glue that keeps a friendship together. Loyalty simply means that
you stick with your friend through thick and thin and take up for them. A loyal
friend will advise you to do the right thing no matter how hard it is. Speak the truth in love.
“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend
sharpens a friend” (Proverbs 27:17
NLT).
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