Psalm 12:2

²Everyone lies to their neighbor; they flatter with their lips but   harbor deception in their hearts.

“Before and after” pictures have become viral among social media users. They publish an older picture and a latest picture next to it. Someone publish a picture of two youths and a puppy. Beside it is another picture of a grown up dog and an adult person. A caption under the “Before and after” pictures says: “People leave, dogs stay.” It is a sad reality that anyone may experience in life. Friendship that would last a lifetime is very rare treasure. And more and more people would rather have dogs as friends than a deceiver who may flatter them.

Among the 12 apostles, Peter, James and John were closest friends of Jesus. While all of the apostles have expressed their loyalty to Jesus, all of them deserted him when Jesus was arrested. It narrated in Matthew 26:55-56, ⁵⁵ In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. ⁵⁶But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

Personally, if you’ve got friends who had been loyal to you and never deceived you ever since you meet them, treasure them. Faithful friends are a fragment of the faithfulness of Christ. Faithfulness is fruit of the Holy Spirit, and we can have forever faithful friend in Jesus Christ. Pray for increase of faith and expect faithfulness from Christ this year until eternity.

Lord Jesus, increase my faith in you this year and beyond.

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