The farmer said, "No sir, not me.  I voted for the fella ‘cause I liked him."

The attorney said, "Come now, I have evidence that he gave you fifty dollars for a vote."

The farmer said, "Well, now it’s plain common sense that when a fella gives you fifty dollars you like him."

There are those who define a friend in such terms.

There are others who define a friend in very different terms

Kahlil Gibran - "Your friend is your needs answered.  He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving.

Erynn Miller, age 18 - It takes a lot of understanding, time and trust to gain a close friendship with someone.  As I approach a time of my life of complete uncertainty, my friends are my most precious asset.

Anonymous - Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed.  They make you smile and encourage you to succeed.  They lend an ear.  They share a word of praise and they always want to open their heart to us.

Solomon lets us know how important friends are in difficult times.

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken." (Eccl. 4:9-12)

Jesus said,

"Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my
Father in heaven
is my brother and sister and mother."

Jesus is not denouncing the family even though one of the great human tragedies of Jesus’ life was that during His lifetime, His nearest and dearest never understood Him. Even in Jesus family, one of the things He had to face was that His own brothers and sisters had a problem believing in Him.  (John 7:5) When Jesus set out on His public mission His friends attempted to stop Him. (Mark3:21)

Jesus is emphasizing the significance of spiritual relationships.

Spiritual relationships are the most high and most holy of life.  When family ties have the spiritual dimension there is no richer fellowship.  But when family ties do not have the spiritual dimension we find that the deeper meanings of fellowship are found beyond the family.

Friendship is not always a matter of a flesh and blood relationship.  While it is true that many people find delight and peace in the circle of the family.  It is also true that sometimes a person’s nearest and dearest are those who share a common ideal or experience.

True friendship is founded on:

A common bond - People who are very different in their background, their mental capabilities and even their methods, can be firm friends.  A common ideal is the bond which unites them.

A common experience - People have together passed through some great experiences, and when they look back on it, that's when real friendship begins.

Story in Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul. It is a story of friends who meet up with each other after a period of time had lapse.

One, her bleached hair hid its true colors.  Her rough front hid her deep unhappiness. They went for a walk.  One thinking about her future, the other thinking about the past.  The one talked about: the home she had recently left, her dependent relationship with a dominate man, her addiction to drugs, her need for my friendship.

The one who listened, recalled their meeting as second graders, when she had moved across the continent.  She remembered asking to see her Archie comics book, even though she didn’t really like comics.  She remembered her saying, "Yes" even though she didn’t like to share.  She remembered she found someone to smile with, to giggle with, to slurp hot chocolate with, to rake leaves with, to go swimming with.  She remembered getting stung by a bee and her friend holding her hand and telling her it’s OK to cry.

Now, it was her friend who had fallen and there was no one to catch her.  She needed support in her search for strength and a new start.  She needed her friendship. S o she took her hand and told her that she was there and that it was okay to cry - so she did.

Jesus said:

May you and I reflect the will and love of God in all our friendships.

amen