What is True Friendship?
by Ross Campbell
Only a spiritually mature man or woman is able to consistently demonstrate true friendship to another man or woman.
Spiritual maturity means accomplishing the application in our lives of the Words of the Holy Messengers. Application means not merely learning their Words, but actually discovering how to make application of those Words in our daily lives. For example, one of those Holy Messengers, His Holiness the Lord Christ said: "There is more happiness in giving than in receiving."
A true friend seeks only good for the other person, and never betrays trust. A person who has the qualities of true friendship even shows kindness and friendship to persons who are his/her enemies, and those who act like enemies. For example, His Holiness the Lord Buddha on one occasion was sitting on some steps when a group of boys came by and commenced vigorously insulting Him and taunting Him, attempting to make Him angry. After some time, one of the boys, having observed that the insults were having no effect upon the Lord Buddha, Who remained sitting peacefully, silently, asked the Lord Buddha why He was not becoming angry with them. He responded by asking a question: "If someone offers a gift and the one to whom the gift is offered refuses the gift, then to whom does the gift belong?" The boy answered: "It continues to belong to the one offering the gift." The Lord Buddha said: " Likewise, I am refusing to accept your insults, therefore they remain yours."
He remained at peace and at the same time taught a lesson in Divine Wisdom to those who wished to make themselves His enemies.
There is very much to say about that true friendship and many true life examples from history to relate. Of course, our truest Friend is the Lord of this age in which we live (Bahá'u'lláh), Who commenced His Ministry in the year 1863, and left us many books full of Truth and Wisdom for us to examine. He is the most loyal Friend, the most trustworthy Friend. He suffered immensely during His Ministry of 40 years and many relatives and apparent friends betrayed Him. He teaches us the blessings of suffering and how our sufferings mature us spiritually and prepare us for the next world.
