An Overlooked Gift

What did the television shows I Love Lucy, Seinfeld, Cheers, and Friends all have in common?  Easy, each was a show about friends and their adventures together. Who can forget Lucy and Ethel and their escapades or Seinfeld, the show about nothing, which still delights us today? We all have friends, some more than others, in many different areas of our life. Friends from work, friends in the neighborhood, friends near and far, friends from different social groups. Even in our families we have siblings, cousins, or a dear family member who is both a relative and a friend.

Friends are a basic need that we often overlook when we thank God for our blessings.  Like food and water we need interaction with other people.  No matter how much we may treasure our solitude we still need friendship and fellowship with others. All too often we don’t realize this need and don’t recognize it as a blessing.

Friends are a gift from God. I’m thankful for those people I can count on to be there for me when I need support or just need to blurt out what’s on my mind.  Thankful for friends to laugh with, too. Don’t take your friends for granted, but thank God for them as they are a blessing not to be overlooked!

Heavenly Father, I cannot imagine how storms can be navigated, burdens borne, and hardships handled without the company of a few good friends. I praise you today for the gift of friendship—for the joy, encouragement, and refreshment you give me through my friends. (Scotty Smith)