“Be A Friend In Bad Times!”

“Be A Friend In Bad Times!”(Mk.14:43-52).
In the past when somebody had opportunity to “fall bush,” family members gathered together and spent all night with him. Sometimes a huge delegation accompanied the one to the airport. These days the reverse is true. Preparations for travelling abroad are done in secret for fear of some evil friends or relatives using any means possible to ensure that you remain on the same spot. As my people put it, “Ba we me’ e?” – “Even you too?”; implying, “so if others should make it in life, ‘even you too?'” It is even asked in riddle, “How can there be a ripe garden-egg in the farm of another person’s mother?”
Friends and relatives are supposed to stand by each other. Unfortunately we all probably have stories to tell of how people were betrayed by their best friends. The last few years have been characterized by stories of bushfallers who returned to the continent for one reason or the other only to meet their deaths in the hands of trusted ones.
It is apparent that you have to fear your friends more than your enemies. Your enemy cannot come close to you except through your friend.
Our Lord and Master was not exempted from this betrayal by a close friend. Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ aide-de-camp, the man entrusted with the treasury of his group betrayed him with a kiss.
Hmmmm, my friend, always shine your eyes ! Some warm embraces are not that warm. Check well the hands of the person who rushes to embrace you with a kiss!
Also watch out for fair weather friends! When the going is good, you will never lack company. People will swear allegiance to you and tell you how they are ready to stake out their necks for your sake. But you can only know your friends when things turn sour with you.
Of the twelve who were always with Jesus, one of them betrayed him with a kiss. When he was arrested, “everyone deserted him and fled.” “Fair weather friends!” Even a young man who was following Jesus, and who had nothing because he was not even fully dressed, “fled naked, leaving his garment behind.” What a contrast to Jesus saying that whoever wants to follow him should abandon everything! This young man rather abandoned the little he had so as to flee away so that he shouldn’t be considered as Jesus’ accomplice.
The lesson here is that Jesus had the wherewithal to defend himself and destroy his enemies, but he decided that “Scriptures must be fulfilled.” He spent himself to pay a debt he did not owe so that he could cancel the debt we could not pay! “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”(Jn.15:13).
We may not necessarily all die for our friends, but we can try as much as possible to stand by them when they need us most. We should leave everything and follow Christ and not to run away naked because we ought to sacrifice for Christ through sacrificing for others.
Prayer: Holy Spirit help me to remain with the Lord in bad times, and to stand by my friends in their times of need. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.