Christian Living
Larry Lilly's Letter Wednesday November 12, 2008
I am taking a little time to prepare for the release of my book, "Lasting Friendships in 30 Days" published by Birchwood Press, a division of New Century Publishing and as I read and re-read the final edit so that I will have the text right on the tip of the old gray matter when asked on talk shows etc, I am also adding to my memorized quote list, a gaggle of quotes that I did not have when I wrote the book, though the principles are in the book. Mom says the book is great. I really wish the following clear statement was included, but alas, such is not to be. Len Wein said:
"A true friend is someone who is there for you when he'd rather be anywhere else."
I am deeply thankful for a handful of friends who put the above into practice when I went through the fire of refining and testing. I am more thankful that the Lord taught me the power of being the kind of friend who is "there" for my friends when they are walking through the fire of scathing public opinion, media attacks, or the more personal kind of furnace, a breaking up marriage, a wandering child, financial upheaval, a prison sentence, the list is much too long to continue.
Too many times we practice the lyrics of an old country song which stated with a fair amount of left nasal twang, "We'll be friends until the end, but this looks like the end my friend" and we walk out on a friend in trouble or as the song continued, take advantage of the friend in trouble.
A friend of mine, a State Trooper, did something many years ago that I will never forget. I was going through an excruciating time with my name splattered all over the media. A group of friends bailed out on me and joined the chorus against me. One day I walked into a restaurant and the group filled two tables. As I entered it got as silent as a pre-gunfight in a Western movie. The trooper, arose from his table, walked to where I was standing, looked me in the eye, and hugged me. He then returned to his table with his friends who hated me. He had the ability to like people who didn't like each other. I had learned this lesson long, long ago, but I will always recall this man's courage in that situation. To this day I have friends who hope they do not have to extend the courtesies of friendship in certain situations. I suppose the feeling is like the handsome kid found to be on the night with the school's ugliest girl when the gang walks in.
A friend who will refuse to ever be ashamed of you is the rarest of jewels. The Apostle Paul wrote of such a friend who although Paul was in prison, the man was not ashamed of his chain:
"The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:" 2 Timothy 1:16
If you are ever in real trouble you will be deeply hurt by the people who do not show genuine friendship to you. You will be blessed beyond words by those who do go out of their way to "be there" even though their other friends ridicule them. But the purpose of my book and this article is in no way designed to teach you how to make "them" like you, but to encourage you to stick by your friends, even if at times, you would rather be anyplace else on earth. You do realize that heaven is observing these kinds of encounters.
Larry Lilly Copyright 2008 © use with credit.
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