LIFEandTIMES with ANGUS FRIENDSHIP.

Sunday, July 30, will be International Friendship Day. I had no idea that there was such a day. It is a day the United Nations endorsed in 2011 and their website says that it was created with the idea that ‘friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace e orts and build bridges between communities.’ This is a noble cause, and we would all do well to seek to foster friendships that transcend culture for the good of humanity. But what about much closer to home? Do you have a friend? I am not talking about workplace associates, or people you get along with from the local sporting club, or the people you speak to at the school gate. I am talking about a real friend. Recently the ABC published an article that showed that one of the loneliest groups of people in society are males between the ages of 3045. I was shocked by this statistic. As someone who fits within that group it made me stop and wonder about who my friends are. To reflect on who are the people that I can call up or message at any time, for any reason, and will hear me out no matter what and who will be an encouragement and support through the good times as well as the tough? I could only count a small group. I may have many mates. But few friends. That shocked me. How about yourself?

There have been some great initiatives that are seeking to raise

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the awareness of the importance of friendships in the mental health space such as the ‘R U Ok?’ movement. But more can always be done. The Bible speaks a lot about friendship and the importance of it. For example, in Proverbs 17:17 it says: ‘A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.’ That is a wonderful picture of friendship. A never giving up kind of friendship. A friendship that grows deeper through the tough times of life. I have been fortunate to have friends who bear testimony to this truth. But this is just a reflection of the truest and greatest friend I have in Jesus. There’s a great old song called What a Friend We Have in Jesus that speaks about the ultimate friendship that we can enjoy with God through Jesus and that no matter what, he will listen to you.

The first verse goes like this: ‘What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.’

So maybe this Sunday, being International Friendship Day, you might like to reach out to your friends and just thank them for who they are and all that they have done for you. Thank them for being there when others weren’t. And maybe it’s an opportunity to think about the friendship you may find in other places if you only ask.