Any friendship that has lasted for longer than a season has more than likely had to deal with some kind of offense. How we handle those situations can bring out the best or the worst in us at the time. Less frequent are the friendships that have weathered the storms of life and passed the test of time bringing you to the place of being able to tell someone the truth even if it hurts. Not all friendships meet this lofty criteria but everyone should have one.

Go ahead read it again.... I had to. I read it over and over and let it really sink in. Faithful are the wounds of a friend. Seriously? Yes, seriously. If you have been lucky enough to have the kind of friend that will look you in the eye and say "girl I love you but you are dead wrong" or " sorry love but your husbands right" or my favorite " are you asking? because if you're asking than yes, ...those jeans are not your friend".

Sometimes we just want people on our side but most of the time we need the truth. Its a friend who is faithful to tell us the truth even if it might hurt us. And yes, like Mary Poppins said " a teaspoon of sugar helps the medicine go down" but she still gave them the medicine.

So with this verse in mind let us be sure to be the kind of friend that can be honest in love when needed but also the kind of friend that receives a word of truth when needed.

Father, open our hearts to your wisdom about our friendships and about truth. Show us what you would have us do with both. Amen!!