Real friends serve as a reflection of God’s love

Friends are the people who are there for you. They listen, and they care. In the end, they are the ones that matter most. Friends stand by your side holding you up, enabling you to keep going. They are the ones who say you can when the rest of the world looks and says you already failed.

“If I had to pick one word to describe the perfect friend, it would be true,” freshman Magdalene Hoar said. “They are transparent with you when there is something in your life you need to work on. They are not afraid to be truthful with you but do it in the most loving manner. My friends have definitely helped me in my walk with the Lord. I have learned from them that it is okay to rely on others and the Lord rather than always [relying on] yourself.”

Throughout the Bible, friendship is mentioned several times. Proverbs 27:9b states, “A sweet friendship refreshes the soul.” Some of the most famous friendships in the Bible include David and Jonathan in the Old Testament and Jesus referring to His disciples as friends in the New Testament. Jesus models what a perfect friend should look like. He was loyal to His friends and helped guide them closer to God, while being an example and helping them in their troubles.

“When I was in the darkest times in my life, friends would come beside and sit with me,” junior Leti Robertson said. “They would pray over and encourage me. I no longer felt alone and remembered that I was indeed seen by God. They want you to succeed in life and care about you on an intimate level. Even when they let you down, they do their best to make it right.”

According to the American Psychological Association, friendship is not just about “social support and companionship.” Friendship can also help protect against mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety.

“Anna Evans, who was a lifer [at TKA] with me, has been my best friend through the years,” Social Media Assistant and TKA alumni Melissa Cribb said. “We go to the same college. She helped me get into the campus ministry that I serve at.”

Most people in their life journey have friends that stay for phases and then leave. These friends make an impact; however, in the end, they are not the one who stayed in touch when you were struggling or when you moved to another school. Real friends are the people who have been loyal to you from the start, who point you toward Jesus and who help you work on your weaknesses because they genuinely desire for you to succeed.

“There are many ways to be a good friend, but in my opinion, one of the most important ways is to listen and be there for them no matter what,” Hoar said. “To celebrate and be excited for them in the highs of life and to be consistent through the lows.”