So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

How would I like to be treated in this situation? Asking this question requires us to step back, separate from the emotions that can run wild, and think about how to care for others first.

When we do this, it is amazing the insight God’s Spirit can pour into us. And it all starts with setting aside our pride, our rights, and our wants.

Here are a menagerie of questions that people sometimes fail to ask: 1) If my spouse, parent or child just died, what would I value most - canned advice, people avoiding me, or someone to quietly and calmly be there when I needed them? 2) If I just lost my job, would I want a pep talk, a lecture, or just someone to help me look for and find another one? 3) If my house just burned down, would I want someone to walk through what happened wrong and tell me how to be safer next time, to say nice things to me, or to come alongside and help me walk through the tough days and months ahead. To be in the car when I went back to visit and just wait until my wife finished crying at the loss. To help me put my life back together. To rebuild, gather and turn in the insurance info, and just be helpful.

I have been in tough times and good times. “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭24‬) I have seen this play out time and time again. Some friends simply are not built for challenges in life. When trials come, they make themselves scarce.

Others are there to walk you through the tough times. I am blessed to have quite a few of these friends. And one of the blessings of going through the battles of life is … you know what friends were true and stood in the trenches with you until the end. The battle-hardened friends are the ones I want to be closest to.

Lord, thank you for friendship and friends that stick closer than a brother. While some disappoint us, others rally and WOW us. I appreciate the faithful friends so much!