Everyone needs a friend. The best way to have friends is to be a genuinely friendly person. Proverbs 18:24 says, "A man who has friends must himself be friendly." But "there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Jesus is the friend who sticks closer than a brother. He laid down His very life on the cross for sinners like we are. No greater love could be shown us than this! (Jn. 15:13; 1 Jn. 2:16; 4:9; Rom. 5:8). Furthermore, His Word says that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5). Truly, as the old hymn says, "What a friend we have in Jesus!"

Love is the root of true friendship. We learn this, too, from the Lord. He chose the twelve disciples knowing that Judas whom He had befriended would betray Him. Someone said that only a friend can betray a friend which is why it hurts so much! God called Abraham "his friend" (Is. 41:8; James 2:23). John the Baptist was a friend of Jesus (Jn. 3:29). The Lord called His disciples "friends" (Jn. 15:15). He served and thought of others before His own needs. He was willing to forgive His friend Peter even after being denied by him three times! In Proverbs 17:17 we read, "A friend loves at all times." The Lord Jesus is our Savior and perfect friend! You will never have a greater friend than Jesus. He bore our sins on the cross so we could be with Him forever. He is willing to bear our burdens and to listen to the cries of our hearts without regret! You do not inconvenience the Lord of Glory when you talk to Him about any problem you may have! Jesus not only listens but He intercedes to His Father on behalf of His friends. He ever lives to make intercession for us (Heb. 7:25).

How do you know if Jesus calls you His friend? He calls us His friends if we believe with all our hearts that He is the Son of God and our only Savior and Lord (Jn. 1:12, 3:16; Acts 16:31). If we truly believe this, we will want to obey His will in all things. "You are my friends if you do whatever I command you" (Jn. 15:14).

When it comes to choosing your friends as a Christian, the supreme question is that of God's will. It is obvious from the Bible that He wants you to be kind, courteous, and loving to all people, especially to all fellow Christians (Gal. 6:10). Also, you may befriend a non-Christian but always with a view to doing them good from the eternal perspective. You must not allow the world to become an evil influence on you. We are speaking of friendship now at the level of companionship. You may do good to any number of people, but with whom do you keep company? In a sense, the Lord befriended ungodly people but He did so in order to redeem their lives. He didn't just "hang-out" with them! Bad companions can get you into a lot of trouble. How many have found this out and gotten themselves into a very sorry mess! The apostle Paul said truly in 1 Corinthians 15:33, "Do not be deceived, evil company corrupts good morals." Proverbs 13:20 says, "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise; but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." We are admonished in Proverbs 12:26, "The righteous should choose his friends carefully for the wicked leads them astray."

What kind of friend are you? Our desire should be to be a friend like Jesus has been and is to us. Our friendships should be ones that glorify God and can draw others closer to Christ. If your friends do not help you to become more Christ-like than perhaps they are not true friends at all. Take heed to your parents' advice. They may see influences from your friends that may be detrimental to your growth in grace. Yes, as mentioned above, Jesus was a friend of sinners (Luke 15:2). But please remember this: His purpose was to save them, not to become one of them. The purpose of His befriending was not fellowship or companionship but redemption. You as a Christian young person can show love and concern for the plight of a non-Christian. By grace you have been found, but they are still lost! We can be friends and try to bring them to the Lord like the four friends in Mark 2:1-12 who took their paralyzed friend to Jesus for healing. However, non-Christian friends should not be our source of confidence, trust, and fellowship.

Now in case a "friend" fails you, despitefully uses you, whispers behind your back or actually betrays you, remember that the Lord Jesus suffered the same. His own family members rejected Him until after the resurrection. His friends all scattered and left Him alone to suffer. In fact, Jesus warned that for some who follow Him they "will be betrayed by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends and they will put some of you to death" (Luke 21:16).

You do not need many friends, but make friends with as many people as you can all the while remembering that there is only one friend who will stick "closer than a brother." Even blood family can let you down, but the Lord Jesus will always love you. He will forever keep His promises to you. He will never betray you. He will endure with your every loss and disappointment in life. He will guide and direct your steps as He has planned. He will lead you safely to glory where He will present you faultless before the throne of His Father (Jude 24) saying, "Here am I and the friends you have given to Me and I have lost none of them. These friends stand before You here uncondemned. I have purchased them with my blood. These are my friends forever."

It does not matter how many friends you may or may not have in this life. In fact, you may only have one or two good friends, but having Jesus as your friend makes you very rich in friendship! Cultivate your friendship with Jesus who created you for such fellowship. Then the other friendships of your life will become blessings and not desperate necessities. Remember, only Jesus can fill the void that you think other friendships can meet. He is the one and only friend who can be a true friend, because He laid down His life for His friends.

Pursue friendship with Christ (Jn. 15: 13-15). Nothing, absolutely nothing can separate you from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35). "Can you find a friend so faithful, who will all your sorrow share?" Jesus knows, He cares, He sticks closer than a brother.

Do you trust Him?