Thought for the week – Reverend David Jones
The Prime Minister has not had a good week! None of us, whatever our political allegiance could feel anything but sympathy as she battled with an obvious throat problem as she gave what was to be her key note rallying speech to the faithful. Then, how a prankster who handed her a P45 managed to bypass her security is baffling to say the least. If he thought he was humiliating Mrs. May he must have been disappointed as the prank backfired big time as she came back with a swipe at Jeremy Corbyn which brought the conference to its feet. Her problems did not end in Manchester as on Tuesday she made a statement to Parliament recognising what many have been predicting that Brexit could end without any sort of deal with the EU. The fall out of even contemplating such an outcome is going to spilt and harden opinions even more and who knows what happens today as she faces Jeremy Corbyn across the dispatch box. One thing’s for sure, the Prime Minister certainly needs her political friends if her premiership is to survive. There again only time will tell!
Friendship is, of course one of the most precious gifts of life. A true friend is someone who does not fall into the ‘fair weather’ category, but who stays the course of being there for us both in good times and in bad. True friendship is also something which is essentially practical because we have to work at it. It means that we do not call it a day when we have differences or when something was needed to be said which no one else would say. It means that we build bridges for the sake of such friendships and not allow them to fade. Good times and difficult times are enriched by true friendship, that’s why true friends are so very special.
Jesus valued the friendship of his disciples He enjoyed the company of the family at Bethany and his first miracle was at a wedding reception, turning the water into wine, saving the host the awful embarrassment of letting down his friends at such an important occasion. Those Jesus called to be disciples soon became friends, and others who thought themselves worthless and rejected found in Jesus a friend who enabled them to find a new self-worth. ‘What a friend we have in Jesus,’ is not the opening line of a much-loved hymn but the true experiences of all who know that He is the friend who will never let us down. Jesus the ‘friend’ of publicans and sinners – whose love is constant and everlasting, and whose kindness and compassion know no limits!
Editor
From Llanelli Wales. Worked in education and media for most of my career. Now working as a freelance journalist. Interested in World events, politics, education. Specialist area is social and journalistic photography.
