“Beyond the circle of the family, a person seeks friends who will be honest, faithful, and true. The scriptures uphold the ideal of the true friend, while admonishing people to choose their friends carefully, lest they be misled or find themselves abandoned in adversity.” http://www.unification.net/ws/theme028.htm

There is great comfort in quiet, comfortable friendships, the kind of friendships that demand nothing of each other but have a quiet assurance that each one “has the other’s back”. This is friendship worth seeking, this is friendship worth waiting for, this is friendship worth praying for.

It seems friendship is important to every religious following. We, as Christians, honor the value of friendship, companionship and support in many scriptural examples.

There are 49 verses with the word "FRIEND" in the Bible.

"And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face,
as a man speaketh unto his friend."
~Exodus 33:11~

Abraham and Lot - Genesis 14:14-16
Ruth and Naomi - Ruth 1:16,17
Samuel and Saul - 1 Samuel 15:35; 16:1
David and Jonathan - 1 Samuel 18:1-4; 20; 23:16-18; 2 Samuel 1:17-27; 9:1-13
David and Abiathar - 1 Samuel 22:23
David and Nahash - 2 Samuel 10:2
David and Hiram - 1 Kings 5:1
David and Hushai - 2 Samuel 15:32-37; 16; 17:1-22
David and Ittai - 2 Samuel 15:19-21
Joram and Ahaziah - 2 Kings 8:28,29; 9:16
Daniel and his three companions - Daniel 2:49
Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, with Jesus - Luke 10:38-42; John 11:1-46
The Marys, and Joseph of Arimathaea, for Jesus Matthew 27:55-61; 28:1-8; Luke 24:10; John 20:11-18
Luke and Theophilus - Acts 1:1
Paul and his nephew - Acts 23:16
Paul, Priscilla, and Aquila - Romans 16:3,4
Paul, Timothy, and Epaphroditus - Philippians 2:19,20,22,25
http://www.annieshomepage.com/friendshipbible.html

Other religions speak as highly of the value of friendship and the importance of choosing friends wisely.

"And the believers, men and women, are protecting friends one of another; they enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, and they establish worship and pay the poor-due, and they obey God and His messenger. 2. Islam. Qur'an 9.71"

"……But when two people are at one in their inmost hearts,
They shatter even the strength of iron or of bronze.
And when two people understand each other in their inmost hearts,
Their words are sweet and strong, like the fragrance of orchids." 5. Confucianism. I Ching, Great Commentary 1.8.6"

"It is by dealing with a man that his virtue is to be known, and that too after a long time; not by one who gives it a passing thought or no thought at all; by a wise man, not by a fool. It is by association that a man's integrity is to be known... It is in times of trouble that his fortitude is to be known... It is by conversing with him, that a man's wisdom is to be known, and that too after a long time; not by one who gives it a passing thought or no thought at all; by a wise man, not by a fool. 12. Buddhism. Udana 65-66"

"Sit in the assembly of the honest; join with those that are good and virtuous; nay, seek out a noble enemy where enmity cannot be helped and have nothing to do with the wicked and the unrighteous. Even in bondage you should live with the virtuous, the erudite, and the truthful; but not for a kingdom should you stay with the wicked and the malicious. 18. Hinduism. Garuda Purana 112"

These are just examples.

Perhaps the easiest way to prepare one’s self for the blessing of friendship is to follow the scriptural direction in Proverbs 18:24 (King James Version)
24A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Father, God, I thank you for the blessing of friends and companions. I thank you that I am growing in the understanding of what it means to BE a friend as I depend more on You and Your Word to provide fulfillment in my life which frees my friends from the burdens of my needs and opens the way for real friendships.

A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter:
he that has found one has found a treasure.
There is nothing so precious as a faithful friend,
and no scales can measure his excellence.
A faithful friend is an elixir of life;
and those who fear the Lord will find him.
Whoever fears the Lord directs his friendship aright,
for as he is, so is his neighbor also. 13. Christianity. Bible, Sirach 6.7-17 Sirach, from The holy Bible, King James version (Apocrypha)

I ask the guidance and support of the Holy Spirit as I endeavor to “Be a Friend to Man”. and to follow the command of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
New King James Version (NKJV) Matthew 22:36-40
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

I thank You, God, for all you are in my life.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!