True friends will continue to stay by your side when others have left.

Luke 5:19  And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.

Jesus was in a house teaching. Many people came to hear Him and the house was packed to the full. Four good friends carried their friend who was paralytic to Jesus hoping He could heal their beloved friend. But the house was full and they could not get their friend to Jesus. They decided to try the roof. They carried their friend up to the roof. There, they broke the tiles and lowered their friend to Jesus. Jesus, seeing their faith, healed the paralytic man.

We see here what true friends are. True friends will continue to stay by your side when others have left. These four friends stayed with their friend who was crippled. They didn’t leave him. They didn’t find him a burden. But they loved him and wanted him to get well. They heard of Jesus. They knew what Jesus could do. They brought their sick friend to Jesus. But they could not get near to Jesus. They could choose to go home and say: “Too bad; we did try anyway.” They could choose to wait for Jesus to come out of the house. But they wanted their sick friend to get well fast. Hence, they brought him up to the roof. It wasn’t easy to carry a crippled man up to the roof; but they did it anyway. It was hard work, but their friend’s health was more important. They didn’t mind the inconvenience. True friends are blind to inconveniences.

They broke open the roof. “Hey, who’s going to pay for the damage?” “Don’t worry. We will pay for the damage. Our friend’s health comes first. Never mind the cost.” They lowered their friend to Jesus. They had to do it slowly and steadily. They didn’t want their friend to fall off the bed.

Someone said: “Friendship is not about whom you have known the longest; it is about who came and never left.”

These four men proved to be true friends of the sick man. Solomon said: “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother” (Pro 18:24).

How do you treat your brother? Would you be like those four men who would go all out to help their friend? They didn’t mind the trouble, time, and money they had to spend. All they were concerned was that their friend be healed.

We talk about Christian love, but how many really practice it? We have a sister who is wheelchair bound; how many of our car owners have fetched her to and from church? “But it’s too troublesome; and I have my family to take care. There is no more space in the car.” Are your family members old enough to take public transport by themselves? Can you first alight your family at the church building and proceed on to bring the sister? See, when there is a will, there is a way.

There is no true love without sacrifice. God’s love for the world involves a sacrifice of His only begotten Son Jesus. Parents sacrifice for their children. Husbands and wives will make sacrifice for each other. If you love your brethren, you will make sacrifice for them. How did the Galatians Christians love Paul? Paul said they would even pluck out their eyes and gave to him (Gal 4:15).

When we do things for someone only when it is convenient for us and it is not too troublesome, that’s not sacrifice. That’s not what true friendship is about. When the good Samaritan went all out of his way to take care of a man whom he didn’t even know, I’m sure he had made a friend for life after that  (Luke 10:33-35).

Do you have friends? I mean real friends; those on Facebook are not real friends. They are virtual friends. Virtual friends are friends whom you like to think you have. But real friends call, talk, and eat with you. If you have hundreds of virtual friends and no true friends, it is time to shut down your Facebook and go out to make real friends.

More importantly, are you a true friend? Would you mind a friend calling you at three o’ clock in the morning because he just needs to talk to you?  Would you apply for a day leave from your employer because you need to bring a friend to a doctor? The four friends in today’s bible reading were outstanding persons. They valued friendship. They knew how to be a friend to their sick friend.

I like the words of Elisha to his mentor Elijah: “As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee” (2 Kings 2:2). Friends stay when others have left. Which kind are we?


Jimmy Lau
Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.