According to an article in an English magazine, “A true friend is one who has the courage to disagree with us when we are in the wrong, and advise us for our own good, rather than let his sympathy or sentimentality cause him to agree.”

Charles Spurgeon once said, “Friendship is one of the sweetest joys of life. Many might have failed beneath the bitterness of their trial had they not found a friend.”

Dr. Alfred Adler, internationally known psychiatrist, based the following conclusions on a careful analysis of thousands of clients: “The most important task imposed by religion has always been ‘Love thy neighbor.’ It is the individual who is not interested in his fellow man that has the greatest difficulties in life and provides the greatest injury on others. It is from among such individuals that all human failures spring.”

It may not be the most desirable, but it is true that we can live without romantic love, but we cannot live healthy without at least one loving friend.

As Dinah Craik so eloquently said, “Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away.”

And, oh, the priceless value of having at least one such deep abiding friendship. Thank God for the gift of friendship.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to be a loving friend and be a friend to fellow sinners as you are a loving friend to me. And help me to find at least one loving friend with whom I can be totally open and honest without fear of judgment or rejection. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Proverbs 17:17 (NIV).

John Fabre, the French naturalist, conducted an interesting experiment with some processionary caterpillars which are called by this name because they blindly follow one another one by one by one.

Fabre placed caterpillar food in the center of a flower pot and placed caterpillars end to end so they formed a complete circle around the edge of the pot. Round and round the caterpillars went for seven days and nights until they dropped dead from starvation and exhaustion—with all the food they needed only a few inches away.

Unfortunately many people are like processionary caterpillars in that they blindly follow a powerful or charismatic leader, never questioning what he or she says or teaches. This is true in false cults, certain religious traditions, secular organizations, some universities, politics, etc., etc.

Can you imagine questioning the Apostle Paul, the most powerful leader in the early Church? But the Christians in Berea did this and made sure that what he was teaching was in line with God’s Word. And they were commended for it.

It’s important that we, too, learn to study and know the Scriptures for ourselves, and question or review everything we are taught to make sure it is in harmony with what God’s Word teaches. While we need to respect respectful leaders, we need to make God’s Word our “final voice of authority” and not the words of men, no matter how high his or her position is.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please give me a love for your Word, the Bible, and help me to know and understand what it teaches, and be aware of and discard all false teaching. Help me to be certain that my beliefs and life style are in harmony with your Word. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

1. Acts 17:11 (NIV).

Caleb, because of his faith and determination was certainly a risk-taker. If we are not willing to risk losing by stepping out of our comfort zone to fulfill God’s will for our life, we will lose all that God has in store for us. Or, as William Arthur Ward expressed it so poetically:

To Risk

“To laugh is to risk appearing a fool,

To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.

To reach out to another is to risk involvement,

To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.

To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.

To love is to risk not being loved in return,

To live is to risk dying,

To hope is to risk despair,

To try is to risk failure.

But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.

The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.

He may avoid suffering and sorrow,

But he cannot learn, feel, change, grow or live.

Chained by his servitude he is a slave who has forfeited all freedom.

Only a person who risks is free.

The pessimist complains about the wind;

The optimist expects it to change;

And the realist adjusts the sails.”

As another has said, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained. The timid soul asks, ‘What do I stand to lose if I do it?’ The fruit-bearing Christian asks, ‘What do I stand to lose if I don’t do it?’ Real life is lived on the cutting edge.”

What will you and I risk for God and his work here on earth?

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, you didn’t merely risk your life for me. You gave it willingly. Because you died for me, help me to risk living life to the full for you. Help me to always remember that ‘he is no fool who gives up that which he cannot keep in order to gain that which he cannot lose.’ Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

1. Joshua 14:10-12 (NIV).

What could a tiny lizard possibly teach us? For one thing it can teach us the rewards of persistence.

It has been said that “the race is not always to the swift but to those who keep on running.” This principle certainly applies to fulfilling our God-given life-purpose and achieving our human and spiritual potential. We don’t have to be geniuses to do this, but we do need to be persistent and keep on keeping on regardless of our circumstances.

The Apostle Paul experienced all sorts of trials and setbacks. He was shipwrecked, stoned and left for dead, whipped and beaten, thrown in jail for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. He knew firsthand what it was to experience loneliness, cold and hunger. He wrote some of his great letters to the churches while he was in prison—as did John Bunyan with his book, Pilgrim’s Progress, when he was in prison.

I listened to a preacher some time ago, a preacher who had cerebral palsy and struggled with every sentence he spoke. I was deeply moved. God used this man to influence hundreds of lives for all eternity. If ever I saw persistence it was in this man. In spite of his debilitating handicap, he reached his top and was maximizing his full potential.

God has a plan and a life-purpose for every one of us. To achieve it will take dedication, commitment, hard work and persistence. As Paul said, “It is God himself in his mercy who has given us this wonderful work . . . and so we never give up.”²

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, in the midst of setbacks and the disappointments of life, please give me the gift of persistence to never give up the challenge to become what you want me to be and to keep on doing what you want me to do. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

1. Proverbs 30:28 (NIV).

2. 2 Corinthians 4:1 (TLB)(NLT).