What Does it Mean to be a True Friend?

True friends are hard to come by. I'm very blessed by the handful in my life and I hope that they feel the same about me.

It is important to take a moment every now and then just what it means to be a "true friend." Friendship comes in many forms - from the people you enjoy a given activity with to the ones you are willing to share the deepest secrets of your life with and every place in between. Yet, at the heart of every friendship should be the desire for the best for that person.

As True Friends: The How-Tos and Joys of Christian Friendship states:

“In true friendship, as in true love, what we care about is the other person’s fulfillment as a creature of God,” Millard explains. “A true friendship is one of the main benefits of living a Christian life.”

Among the major benefits: True human friendship enhances our understanding of friendship with God and is the natural preparation for entering into our ultimate vocation of friendship with Christ, explains Cuddeback. . . .

As Millard concludes: “A true friend helps you to live the right kind of life. True friends, in the words of my wife, help each other get to heaven.”