National Best Friends Day!

Did you know Saturday, June 8, 2024, is National Best Friends Day? Thinking of this day compels me to start singing The Golden Girls theme song by Andrew Gold honoring friendship.

“Thank you for being a friend
Traveled down a road and back again
Your heart is true, you’re a pal and a confidant.”

I love this because it reminds me of the good-natured humor evident in every episode of this iconic American sitcom.

Another reason why I like this tune is the lyricist does a great job of capturing the attributes of a good friend. These attributes describe someone present, loyal, true-hearted, welcoming, and a confidant.

Does professional and biblical evidence support Gold’s understanding of friendship? Before exploring this subject in depth, it is appropriate to explain the origins of National Best Friends Day and the ways people celebrate.

National Best Friends Day

Its Origins

As the opening sentence mentions, National Best Friends Day is June 8. Congress made the day official in 1935 as a way for people to honor those closest to them.

June eighth was selected as the official date because it occurs during a time of year when the weather is warm. Warm weather gives friends plenty of opportunities to enjoy the day through outdoor activities.

Ways to Celebrate Your Best Friend

Participating in outdoor activities is a great way to enjoy this day since it occurs on Saturday this year. I encourage you to connect with your friends and see what fun activities are happening near you.

Along with spending time outside, you and your friend can enjoy the day by

Praying and worshiping the Lord together.
Posting content featuring each other on social media with the hashtag Nationalbestfriends day.
Exchanging gifts.
Enjoying a meal together.
Making new best friends as you can have more than one.

Fun Facts

Data supports having more than one best friend as 75% of participants in a marketing agency survey have more than one best friend.

Other interesting facts about friendships from a National Today survey says

57% of teenagers make close friends online.
43% say their closest friend is their significant other.
24% met their best friend in elementary, middle, or high school.
20% say their best friend is a parent or pet.
At nine months old, babies begin to recognize friendships.

What is Friendship?

Scholarly Explanations

While these fun facts do a great job of talking about friendship, they do not provide an adequate understanding of the term.

Britannica defines friendship as a “state of enduring affection, esteem, intimacy, and trust between two people.”

Betterhelp.com supports this definition when stating authentic friendships must be positive, long-lasting, and beneficial to both individuals.

Hall of Fame Basketball Coach John Wooden includes friendship as one of his essential principles for success.

Coach Wooden relates this principle to marriage since there must be mutual concern, devotion, and respect. He also says having lasting friendships complete and helps us get through life’s journey (John Wooden & Jay Carty, Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of Success, pgs.38-41).

Wise words from King Solomon

Coach Wooden credits King Solomon for this understanding of friendship. Through a host of Proverbs, King Solomon tells readers friendship includes

A bond that allows each other to become wise (Proverbs 13:20).
Love and someone who will help you overcome adversity (Proverbs 17:17).
Honest constructive criticism (Proverbs 27:5).
Assisting one another in times of crisis and disaster (Proverbs 27:9-10)
Help each other improve and mature (Proverbs 27:17)

Scripture also says good friends do not

Influence them to rob or murder someone for material gain (Proverbs 1:8-19).
Cause strife or gossip about people (Proverbs 16:28).
Expose or revisit past offenses (Proverbs 17:9).
Become easily hot-tempered or angry (Proverbs 22:24-25).
Corrupt the character of another person (1 Corinthians 15:33).

Biblical Examples

3 Hebrew Men

Through Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, King Solomon also teaches readers that the bond of friendship helps people endure trials.

Three Hebrew men prove this as they endure a fiery furnace rather than worship a false idol. Their willingness to obey God through suffering brings salvation to an entire kingdom.

This example suggests godly friendships can help believers maintain their integrity and remain faithful to God amid temptation.

4 Faithful Friends

Another benefit of godly friendships comes from the parable of four faithful friends. This story is about four men who carry their friend to Jesus so he can receive a miraculous healing (Mark 2:3; Luke 5:18).

Interestingly, Jesus’ popularity makes it difficult for them to enter the crowded home he was visiting (Mark 2:4; Luke 5:19).

Instead of giving up, the men cut a huge hole in the roof and lowered their friend into the house. Jesus then forgave and made the paralyzed man walk (Mark 2:4-5; Luke 5:19-20).

The efforts of the four men reveal two important facts about godly friendships.

Godly friendships allow believers to exercise faith as they “carry” one another to God in their time of need.

For the paralyzed man, this meant being carried to God for a miraculous physical healing. For believers, this may mean carrying someone or being carried through a situation only God can resolve.

Second, a godly friendship includes people who have the willingness to go the extra mile so God can meet their friends’ needs.

The men could have allowed the crowded house to act as a reason to lose hope. Instead, they display uncommon determination as they tear a hole in the roof to get their paralyzed companion to Jesus.

Christians must display this same sense of uncommon determination to see God perform miracles for their best friend.

Jesus, the Greatest Friend

Faithfulness

Like the four men, Jesus is also a faithful friend. His faithfulness is seen through his willingness to die for sins he did not commit (John 3:16; 15:13).

His faithfulness is also seen through his willingness to interact with the undesirable members of society (Matthew 21:31). He also patiently encourages, instructs, and rebukes disciples who often fall short of his expectations.

Forgiving “Fake” Friends

Two disciples who disappointed their faithful Messiah were Judas and Peter. They betray and deny Jesus during a time when he needs them the most (Matthew 26:48-,70-74).

Since Jesus is fully divine and human, he understands their fake behavior is necessary for him to become the resurrected Savior (Matthew 26:31-35,50). With that being said, I’m sure their moments of rejection hurt him deeply.

Instead of cutting off Peter for not being loyal, he forgives and restores him (John 21:15-17). Judas could have received the same blessing but he was unable to overcome the guilt and shame of his transgression (Matthew 27:1-5).

Believers today must learn not to hold the transgressions and offenses of fellow Christians against them. We cannot imitate the world’s ways by cutting off those we think are fake because of character flaws.

Instead, we must forgive and seek reconciliation so we can demonstrate the unity Christ desires to see within his body.

Did you enjoy this article about National Best Friends Day and friendship? I would love to hear about how you will celebrate this special occasion. Your feedback is greatly appreciated!