A friend who stands with you through all is precious.

PROVERBS 17.17

A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity.

What a beautiful little proverb this is. It reminds me that there’s nothing more precious in this world than our relationships. Facing adversity is hard, facing trouble can be painful and frightening. The proverb doesn’t hide from that. It doesn’t imply that we’re supposed to put a sunny face on it.

But it also understands something wonderful: the preciousness of a friend who stands with you through it. Someone who’s with you in the thick of it. That’s truly precious. Whatever other qualities someone can look for in a friend, someone who’s not in it for what they get out of it but who’s there in the face of adversity – that’s what matters in the end.

The most precious friend who is with us is the Lord Jesus. A friend who was himself and yet stood with us in the face of God’s anger, not even to suffer with us but to suffer for us, instead of us. His love for us teaches us to be that friend for others. To stand with others in the tough times rather than just be in it for ourselves. Some of us might not feel we have a friend like this. But we have the Lord. And in his love we can begin to be a friend like this.

Head: Why do you think friendship in adversity is so valuable? What does this proverb teach us about Jesus?

Heart: How do you feel when you read this proverb? Do you have friendships like this? Are you or could you be a friend like this? How do you feel when you consider the friendship of Jesus towards you at the cross? Why?

Hands: How can you begin to be a friend like this to someone in light of the cross of Jesus?

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you that Jesus has been such a friend to me at the cross. Thank you for his picture of true friendship to me. Please forgive me when I haven’t stood with others in hard times and grant me the wisdom to know how to be a friend, a brother or sister, to those in need. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

A song to listen to: This is Love

Ryan Dehnert

This Grow Daily was originally posted as part of the Must See Passages series in 2016. During the School Holidays we take the opportunity to look back at the best of Grow Dailys over the years.