A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
What a wonderfully simple illustration of God’s design for our closest relationships. Some of our friendships, like those with our coworkers or our social media contacts, may be very limited and fleeting. Such friends come and go throughout our lifetimes.
But our closest friendships are rooted deep in God’s love for us, from which our love for others flows. Jesus modeled this love for us in his relationship with the twelve disciples, calling them his friends (John 15:15).
And as Jesus calls each of us into a relationship with him, the Holy Spirit unites and binds us together, as brothers and sisters adopted into the family of God. And as brothers and sisters, we follow Jesus’ example of loving service to one another, help during times of trouble, and commitment to each other’s well-being. All the while being led and cared for by Jesus, the most steadfast friend and brother of all.