A Friend Loves At All Times

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” ~Proverbs 17:17

I'd say that most of us would put our family and friends pretty near the top of our list of priorities.   "Family is everything" is a phrase you hear often.  Family can also be the most challenging thing we face with teens gone astray, family feuds, estranged relationships, financial struggles, health problems, etc.

Even Jesus had family trials. Huge crowds would gather around Jesus.  His family must have wondered why.  Maybe they were even embarrassed.   "When Jesus went home, but again a large crowd gathered there. There were so many people that he and his followers could not eat.  His family heard about all these things. They went to get him because people said he was crazy." Mark 3:20-21

But Jesus didn't react negatively.  We see Him going off privately to pray; perhaps He was putting His earthly family into His Father's hands.   A great model to follow.   God uses familial terms so that we can understand love within a household.  God the Father, Jesus the Son.  Jesus the Bridegroom. Jesus our brother. Jesus calls us His friends - we know He loves us continually and unconditionally. In John 15:13, Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” He was talking about Himself - He laid down His life for the world. Talk about a time of adversity!

“Jesus and the people He makes holy all belong to the same family. That is why He isn't ashamed to call them His brothers and sisters.: ~Hebrews 2:11

“We love because He first loved us.” ~1 John 4:19