A Friend Who Sticks

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24

Let’s zoom in on a snippet of a mutual friend’s experience…

Decades ago, young Ellen’s forehead and gums erupted frequently with large, painful boils. Itchy dandruff patches covered her scalp. Classmates taunted her, adding to her shame. 

She wore her older brother’s hand-me-downs. Life was awkward and lonely.

Ellen’s family was invited to dinner at a neighbor’s home once and she was so paralyzed by anxiety that she barely touched her food. She didn’t know how to act or talk.  A luscious strawberry dessert resulted in hives. More embarrassment.

Ellen’s heart pounded when teachers called upon her to answer questions in class. Kids on the school bus called her names and pulled on her clothes.

But… 

Her best girlfriend from age five, Cathy, lived on the other side of the vacant lot that separated their homes. She and Ellen were able to signal each other through windows when it was time to play. They were inseparable. Cathy was easygoing and friendly. She accepted her quiet friend with genuine interest. Finally, Ellen didn’t feel like someone’s project. They sewed clothes together, shopped together, and enjoyed sleepovers—always at Cathy’s house. Friends didn’t visit Ellen’s home. Cathy gave Ellen a Bible for her sixteenth birthday. She cherished it but kept it hidden. 

They went to different colleges and reconnected during summer vacations. Cathy helped Ellen get her first job where they worked together. Ellen never dated. A couple of blind dates in college were the extent of her romantic life. One led to marriage.

Cathy married, too, and moved to another state. The friends stayed in touch through the years, mostly through Christmas cards. Ellen experienced numerous heartaches, but she had found a new best friend in Jesus. The Lord used Cathy’s friendship mightily to save her life from hopelessness as a girl. Recently, she contacted Ellen to see if she’d fared well during a devastating and historical snowstorm. 

Truly, a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Karen Sims