If friends are the best gifts. How do I find one? Window shopping? Do I look around and try to decide which was is the most economical? Which one matches or fits my style? One of those...” I really need to think this over” before I jump in!

Silently, we check out potential friends. Is she _____happy enough? Friendly enough without being annoying with her excessive JOY? Simple enough that I won’t feel out classed? Classy enough that I don’t feel like I’m out with my crazy aunt? Smart enough that she can carry on a semi-intelligent conversation? Dumb enough that I will not feel stupid and inadequate around her? Presents? Yes, friends are Present! It’s not about the outer wrapping! We are drawn to the biggest present!

We are drawn to beautiful wrap.... The best present can be in a brown paper bag!

Five characteristics of a faithful friend.

I. Be there

Have you already been thinking about the best friends you've had? If the faces of your favorite people have already come to mind, you're remembering people who found a way to be with you. Many of them were with you in the routine of life. Maybe you attended class together. Perhaps you grew up in the same home. Maybe it's a co-worker. If you live long enough, the best friends of your life were also those who found a way to be with you during tough times. How many stories would you have of friends who drove hundreds of miles to be with you, who jumped on an airplane to stand by your side, or those who canceled appointments to join you? The details differ, but one thing is certain about faithful friends; they don't stop with a phone call, letter, or an e-mail. They find a way to be there.

II. Know the power of a gentle touch

Most every culture uses touch in greeting - a handshake, a bear hug, a kiss on the cheek, a kiss on both cheeks! A touch can show sympathy, friendship, trust - sometimes powerful trust.

A faithful friend knows how to touch someone when they are hurting, how to communicate love with touch, even restore confidence with a special grip. A faithful friend understands the power of a hug, and isn't embarrassed to hold on to the hug a little longer than necessary. Don't underestimate the power of a gentle touch.

III. Speak the right words at the right time

A faithful friend says not simply kind words, but the right words at the right time and of course, sometimes.... JUST LISTENS!!

IV. Don't waver in your support

God works in simple ways. Somewhere, perhaps today, a person near you needs a faithful friend. If you answer God's call to be that friend, it might be you who changes their world.