Romans 12:15, Weep With Them That Weep
Romans 12:15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
It is during these times of affliction that a friend proves himself a brother. To be there rendering comfort and support, to be there to render whatever needful practical help. Sometimes, one’s presence speaks comfort and encouragement more than any good word spoken. It does mean sacrificing some of our time, energy, and resources for our leisure and even sleep.
Solomon says well in Proverbs 17:17 “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Such a friend rejoice with his friend during the happy times and during the sad times.
Bridges observed, “A friend, a sincere and hearty friend, loves at all times, not only in prosperity, but also in adversity, when false friends forsake us. A brother, who is so not only by name and blood, but by brotherly affection, is born for adversity; was sent into the world for this among other ends, that he might comfort and relieve his brother in his adversity. So this proverb compares a friend with a brother, and shows that a friend does that freely, and by choice, which a brother does by the force and obligations of nature. So the sense is, He is a friend at all times, but in adversity he is more than all ordinary friend, even a brother.”
True friends love one another at all times. Friendships are not true when they are not constant and not sincere. There are those who are self-serving in their friendship. As one writer said, “They will love no longer than their humour is pleased and their interest served, and therefore their affections turn with the wind and change with the weather. Swallow-friends, that flies to you in summer, but are gone in winter; such friends there is no loss of.” Job saw the reality of shallow friends, relatives in the midst of the greatest trial in his life.
Job 19:13-22 “He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me. My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me. They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight. I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth. My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children’s sake of mine own body. Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me. All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me. My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth. Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me. Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?”
When Job’s friends did not open their mouth but was there to lend a listening ear, they were a comfort to him.
Job 2:11-13 “Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him. And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven. So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.”
However, when they started judging him that was when they caused him untold distress. May God grant us His grace to be a true friend to God’s people. Amen.