One night, on her way home after a long shift, a woman had an unnerving feeling. It seemed as though a truck was following her. Every time she changed lanes, the truck-driver did the same. She tried to speed up to lose him, but the man in the truck just kept up and followed after her.
Hoping this was all in her imagination, she began nervously checking her rear-view mirror and each time he was there, determined it seemed to follow her wherever she went. The lady began to panic, but having left her phone at work, she was unable to call the police. Eventually she decided to pull off at a well-lit gas station and get help. She found a station, parked, got out of the car and began screaming for her dear life.
Just then she noticed the man getting out of the truck and charging full-steam towards her. She prepared for the worst. But just before he reached her, he opened the door of her car and pulled a man out of the back seat. It turned out, the man had earlier snuck into her car with malicious intentions. The truck driver had somehow spotted the man, and he decided he would not let the woman be an innocent victim. Sometimes, the person trying to help us looks like the person most wanting to hurt us and the opposite too can equally be true. This story begs a question: who is trying to hurt You and who is trying to help You? Who are your friend and how do you know?
Based upon observations and reflections, I have come into conclusion that there are at least four kinds of friends:
1. The Pretenders- the lesson from a baby mosquito. Baby mosquito went out and came back home to report to his mother. Mama, mama, everybody loves me. How did you know that everybody loves you? Baby Mosquito say, “ Wherever I went, people were clapping for me.” His mother looked at him sadly, and said to him, my son, they were not clapping for you, but they were trying to kill you.
2. Opportunistic friends- these come into your life just to benefit from you. They are sycophants and bootlickers. They will flatter you, even when you are heading toward your destruction. They see nothing wrong even when you are wrong. As long as they benefit from you, you are their friend. They will withdraw from you when they cannot benefit from you.
3. Admirable Friends- these people come into your life because of something they admire about you. They are attracted to you by certain qualities- like your personality, your fame. They like to be seen in your company as their social class etc. these people will cease to be your friend and withdraw from you when what they admire fades away.
4. Friends Indeed – these friends desire your good. These people become your friend not because of what they can benefit from you, but rather what they can offer you to reach your potential. They desire your good. They see your abilities and capabilities and would like to build you up. They desire you to succeed. They would raise you up when you are down. They will encourage you when you are discouraged. They will embrace you when everyone has rejected you. In the worse moments your life, they see beauty and value in you. When you succeed, they cheer you up? Your joy is their joy. When you are sad and mourning, they will wipe away your tears and put smile in your face. When you are wrong, they will correct you in love.
Suspicion comes out of the unrenewed mind; discernment comes out of the renewed spirit. Let discernment be your trustee, and mistakes your teacher. There are many “truck drivers” following you in life. Lets pray you can discern which of them is your friend. Sometimes you can tell what something is by what is isn’t.
May Your Week Not Be Weak But With Him. I Send You My Prayerful Wishes. From Fr. Raymond@accra
