Think a minute…The former U.S. president Harry Truman had a reputation for being an honest and loyal friend no matter what the cost. One of Truman’s friends, Tom Pendergast, helped Truman win his first election to public office as a county judge. However, Truman did not always agree with his friend Pendergast’s dishonest way of doing business. One time a group of crooked businessmen wanted Pendergast to influence his friend, Judge Harry Truman. However, Pendergast replied: “Truman always stays true to his honest character and principles. There is nothing I can do to tempt or make Truman cheat or do anything dishonest.”
Eventually Pendergast was put in jail for the crime of tax evasion. Years later when Truman was vice-president of the United States, Pendergast died. Yet Truman still flew across America for the funeral. He said: “Even though I definitely disagreed Pendergast’s dishonesty, we were still friends.”
True friendship is not based on what a friend does for you, but on what he means to you, even if you disagree with him and disapprove of some of his wrong ways of living. True friends say what’s true, even if it hurts—because they care about what is right and best for your life. “A true friend gets in your way if you’re going down the wrong road.” A proverb in the Bible says: “Faithful are the wounds from a friend.” Just like a doctor sometimes must cut you to heal and save your life.
“True friends stab you in the front”—because they want to save you from worse problems and pain. Love does not lie, because “Truth that is kept silent often becomes poison.”We all have things in our character we need to change, so sooner or later confrontation is necessary. A close, strong relationship only grows out of deep trust built on honest communication with each other. My friend needs to know I will always accept him, even if I do not approve of what he is doing. So, “Speak up when your friend is falling down.”
But friendship is a two-way street and the truth cuts both ways. So, we need to be willing to listen when a friend cares enough to confront us about something wrong in our life. One of the most important reasons God gave us friends is to help us grow and become more like Christ in our character. Jesus is the best friend you will ever have Who will always tell you the truth. Won’t you ask Him to forgive you for your wrong ways of living, and to take charge of changing your character and daily lifestyle? That is when He can start rebuilding you into the man or woman He made you to be. Just think a minute…