A friend indeed

As I thought about friendship, I found myself struggling with clichés and empty phrases. A friend in need is a friend indeed. To have a friend, be one. A career as a greeting card writer unfolded before my eyes.

Salvation came in the form of my 7-year-old godchild. One Saturday morning, I asked him, “What is a friend?” He thought for a minute, then replied, “Luke.” I was startled at first. Luke? The Gospel? And then I realized it was his playmate Luke. Oh dear, this was not going to save the day.

I walked away discouraged. But then I realized: The child was right. Friendship is “Luke.” Not his Luke, of course, who probably snorts milk out of his nose and watches “SpongeBob SquarePants” endlessly, but a singular, irreplaceable person—to you.

Erase “Luke” and fill in your choice of name here. I will write in Jeannette or Caroline. Perhaps you’ll write in Mary or Alice. These friends likely share similar traits: You trust them. They can keep a secret. Or they make you laugh. It doesn’t matter, and that’s the beauty of it. A friend is someone God created and no one can duplicate.

Celebrate a friend today.

Today we remember Perpetua and Felicity and companions, martyrs at Carthage (202). This message was adapted from “Friends for Life” by Clare La Plante that appeared in the April 2003 issue of Lutheran Woman Today (now Gather) magazine.