Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man, who can find? ~Proverbs 20:6
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ~Romans 5:6-8
Remember those early days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those who were in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the work of God, you will receive what He has promised. ~Hebrews 10:32-36
I remember, years ago, when a relationship advice “expert,” by the name of Dr. Laura, was on the air. She would tell women, “Don’t settle for just any man! You want one who would swim through shark infested waters just to bring you a lemonade!” You have to admit, that would demonstrate commitment. Then, of course, the question is, what amazing feat of commitment should be expected of the women, in return?
Kathy and I have moved around quite a bit. Admittedly, we haven’t moved as often as some, but we’ve had our share of them, just the same. With every move there is the saying, “goodbye,” and the wondering, will I be able to make new friends again? It’s hard to maintain friendships when life involves so much settling and resettling and long-distance communication. I suppose that Facebook and email have helped some. We have managed to hang on to a few people, but I think that even they would admit that our relationships now are not as rich and full as when we lived closer.
The common explanation for today’s trend is, “People move for career and family reasons.” We are a much more mobile society than in the days when people were born and raised and spent their entire lives in one village. Mobility opens many more opportunities. But the downside is that it creates a very sad reality in our society today. Very few people have the blessing of true, long lasting, forever friendships. Kathy and I readily admit that our relationships are a casualty of the modern lifestyle.
“Many a man claims to have unfailing love,” It’s interesting here that Solomon chooses to use the word, “claims.” Perhaps it is because he realizes that “love,” is a hard commitment to keep. Certainly, people of Solomon’s day and culture were not as nomadic as the lifestyle of today. Nevertheless, there are still other factors that place strains on relationships.
When love is dependent upon emotions, it’s easy to experience the ebb and flow of “love,” based on the moment or the circumstance. Others may forget the zeal and fervor experienced at the beginning of a relationship and are content to go through the motions without having their heart in the commitment anymore. These principles also apply to our relationship with God and our commitment to His cause
The recipients of the letter to the Hebrews may have been experiencing this struggle. Life was getting hard for them, so the writer is basically writing, “Hang in there! Keep running! The finish line is in sight!” He is agreeing with Solomon that when we get discouraged, or meet with too much opposition, the weight of the commitment can outweigh the zeal felt at the beginning, and we are in danger of giving up and heading back to our comfort zone.
“But a faithful man, who can find?” Solomon means that a faithful person, who can hang on, no matter what, is hard to find. That must mean that this character trait is rare. Johnathan was faithful to David. Solomon, David’s son, must have been told about that friendship, but Johnathan was rare. He stayed committed to his relationship with David even though his own Father, Saul, opposed him. Solomon would have also witnessed his Father David’s commitment to Johnathan’s descendent, namely, Mephibosheth, Johnathan’s crippled son. But again, that kind of commitment is rare.
Many a man “claims to have unfailing love,” we want to have that kind of love and commitment toward others, but we often fail miserably at it. We don’t mean to fall short, to forget. But over time, it happens. We still like the people that we have had friendships with. We would still enjoy their company if we could be together. But, the immediate crowds out the commitment and we lose focus. We want to remain faithful, but that becomes more difficult.
“A faithful man, who can find?” When we find Jesus, He is that faithful friend. However, His friendship is not based on the same criteria that most of our friendships are based on. Our friendships, Johnathan and David’s included, are usually based on an attraction of some sort. We have a common interest, or we are involved in similar activities, school, or work. We start from having something in common and build on that.
Jesus had nothing in common with us. In fact, we were His enemies. We were sinful. He is Holy. We are created and terminal. He is creator and eternal, without beginning or end. It’s not very common for a person to seek out a friendship with someone that is the extreme opposite, but that is what sets Jesus apart.
Also, His commitment isn’t based on proximity or emotions. It's based on love. When He makes the claim to have unfailing love, He is speaking the truth because He made that commitment of love to us from the beginning and it has never wavered. When we can stand firm, as the writer of Hebrews calls us to do, we are attempting to demonstrate a commitment of love to Him in return. With His help, we can become a faithful friend that can be found, both to Jesus and to those around us for His glory.
Prayer: Father, I praise You for You are most faithful and most friendly of all! Jesus, what a good friend You are! Holy Spirit it is only because of You that I know these things. Thank You for sticking closer than a brother! Help me more fully reflect Your loving image and remain faithful to You too, even through the storms of life that try to pull me away from You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Song: What A Friend We Have in Jesus
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