There Is A Friend, And There Is A Friend: A Lesson I Learned The Hard Way!

Luke 10

KJV

36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

Experience, they say, is the best teacher, so when experience speaks, ignorance should listen. Unfortunately, this is not the case with many.

Ask any wise man and he will tell you how the lessons he received through experience have contributed to his wisdom

I’ve always considered everyone I respect, talk to in confidence, cry with, and share in their sorrow, etc., a friend, until lately, when I realised how naïve I’ve been all these years.

I didn’t know that there are friends and there are friends! I didn’t know that even among friends there are biases and discriminations. I didn’t know that among the comity of friends there are grades or classes!

Unknown to me is the fact that in the mind of those I called friends there is a classification and categorisation, there are the low, medium and high classes.

I have all along behaved and acted like the horse called “Boxer “ captured in George Orwell’s book “ Animal Farm!” who trusted without a doubt every animal on the Farm and worked tirelessly for their good!

It was when the “veil” or “scales” that covered my mind’s eyes fell that was when I realized that “ there is a friend, and there is a friend“

It was when I came face to face with discrimination, biases, preferences etc among those Ive always considered as friends; that I realized how naïve I’ve been all these years.

It was then that I realized not all friends are friends; there are friends and there are friends!

I should have known this long ago had I paid attention to the details of the story Jesus told as captured above. Not every neighbor is a neighbor,

Growing up I’ve had this said several times “ do not trust all friends, not everyone is genuine “unfortunately it never clicked.

I heard some described as “ fair weather “ friends I was told these are those who for what they stand to benefit from you is the reason they struck a friendship relationship with you.

Some are described as the “ out of sight is out of mind “ friends! To these your presence is what matters to them, when you are gone they erase everything about you from their memory!

I learned these from experience, which I share with you. Invest your time, energy, resources etc but know whom to invest in. Else you’ll live to regret.

Not every neighbor is a neighbor, not every friend is a friend; it is adversity that tells the difference.

Thoughts to share, and a cautionary advice.