October 25
Scripture: Prov 27:10
Source author: Jenni Davenport
October 25
Friends Don’t Let Friends Jump Never abandon a friend — either yours or your father’s. When disaster strikes, you won’t have to ask your brother for assistance. It’s better to go to a neighbor than to a brother who lives far away. —Proverbs 27:10
Hey girl, what’s happening?” Janie asked me as she answered her phone. I didn’t need a second invitation. And I didn’t need to ease into the situation with small talk. Instead, I immediately poured out my soul. The job issues. The family challenges. The marital woes. They had all come crashing down on me at once until I felt I was going to drown in the undertow. Of course, as always, Janie listened intently. And she knew exactly what to say, precisely what to ask, and the words I needed to hear to be able to get my bearings and breathe again. For the past thirty years, Janie’s been there and been a dear friend through all the experiences that have shaped my life— deaths, marriage, childbirth, jobs. She knows the good and bad about me and accepts me anyway. Janie has been my example of true friendship—not just when I’m hanging off the ledges, but all the time. That’s probably one of the reasons why God gives us friends—to help us celebrate the good times, and to show us
His—and their—love and concern in the bad times.
Friendship includes talking others off their ledges, and letting them talk you off yours. — Jenni Davenport —