The Gifts of Christlike Friends – Sunday, March 02, 1986
“What greater gift does thou bestow… than Christlike friends, whose gentle ways strengthen our faith, enrich our days.”1
What more could we ask of a friend than to be Christlike, or more importantly, what more could we give?
The friendship we share with others makes an important contribution to the quality of our lives. We place high value on these relationships, for having good friends with whom we feel comfortable gives us a sense of honesty, a sense of trust, a sense of success.
Friendship is an intangible thing. It is not unlike an invisible force which we send out to encircle others… and which, in turn, comes back to encircle us as well. Honest friendship is a circle of power which envelops us in our entirety—all our good points along with all the bad. It is a power which surpasses judgement. It is a bond which reaches not from person to person but from soul to soul.
In order for us to be a Christlike friend, we must adopt Christlike attributes. He said, ” …he that followest me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”2 Part of that light comes from our relationship with our fellowman. ” …thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself… “,3 He said.
If we would be friends, or if we would have friends, we should do as He did. We should be willing to be of service to others even when it’s inconvenient. We should listen with our hearts as well as our ears. We should give our love as freely as we give our advice.
Friendship is a power that lights our lives. It is a gift to be cherished, a part of our eternal progress, a stone in the foundation of our lives.
An ancient prophet said: ” …it is upon the rock of our Redeemer who is Christ, the Son of God, that (we) must build (our) foundation… a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fail.”4
This is true in our relationships with others as well as ourselves. Friendship is built upon the foundation of the gospel of Christ, the center of which is love. And, if the foundation is love, then the building blocks are acts of service. And, the resulting structure is a strong, lasting lighthouse of friendship.
“What greater gift dost thou bestow… than Christlike friends, whose gentle ways… enrich our days.”
1 Davidson, Karen Lynn, Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1985
2 New Testament, John 8:12
3 Old Testament, Leviticus 19:18
4 Book of Mormon, Helaman 5:12
March 02, 1986
Broadcast Number 2,950