While watching Andy Griffith this morning I was captivated by Andy's and Barney's friendship. In this friendship they are two totally different people, but their different characteristics bring them together. The combination of both of them side by side brings the other's qualities out.I notice as I watch that Barney is not the greatest deputy there is. He is kind of the sidekick, the funny one of the two that others like to pick on. But what captivates me is that although Andy knows Barney is not the best qualified deputy he could have, he knows he is best suited for the job. Barney may lack qualities that other officers have, but Barney has heart. He has a passion for what he is doing and that alone makes all the difference.
Andy is always lifting Barney up. When Andy knows that Barney has made a mistake, or even when Barney is mistaken for a hero capturing a run a way thief, Andy has a way of speaking to Barney to make him feel as though he is special, that he is important. He doesn't draw attention to Barney's flaws, he smiles and brings out his best qualities that make him who he is.
As Andy can sometimes get down, Barney is always there to try to lift him up, to encourage him, just the way Andy blesses him.
You never see them putting one another down, or staying mad at one another. They accept each other, they forgive, and they continue to grow as friends. Are your friendships like this? Friendships are hard work. Just as a marriage takes work, so do our friendships.
Friendships are like an awesome accessory to your wardrobe. They add sparkle and shine, and they bring out your best features. They add color, and on those days where you don't feel your greatest, they keep you warm like a fuzzy blanket. They just wrap around you like that favorite quilt you have.
We can often get so busy and wrapped up in our own lives that we can forget about those friends around us.Something I notice about Andy's and Barney's friendship is that they are together in the good times or bad. They share dinners and they share their hearts. When one falters, laughing at himself, the other may also laugh, but never in such a way to put the other down.
By watching Andy and Barney you know their friendship is true, they are real with one another, and they can always count on each other to be there. In frienships, you should be able to be honest with one another in all things. When one is sliding, you get in there and catch them, sitting them back on their feet with encouraging words. We make each other better people when we are by just being real.
My life has been blessed with some really amazing friendships. I am always amazed at just how God places women in my life right when I need them, or when they need me. God has a way of putting together those who will give Him praise and glory.
Barney never carries a bullet, but although his weapon is empty, Andy always has his back. Just as when Andy seems to be in trouble, Barney is always there helping in only a way that he can. We can learn a lot from these two men. We can learn encouragement. We can see that when you work hard blessings happen.
Friendship is one of those unique gifts that the Lord gives to refresh our lives, to pick up our days, and to help us carry our burdens. Not only do we share tears together, we laugh until are cheeks hurt. Friendships encourage our dreams, they fill us with joy, and they cheer us on when life gets hard. They help us walk deeper in our faith.Each one is like a unique gem we carry in our pockets. And they leave a smile on our face. Don't let another day go by without telling that friend of yours just how special she is. You never know, it might just be the words to lift her spirits and carry her through the day.
Lord, I thank for the friendships You have blessed my life with. I pray they continue to grow until our hair is grey, and purple and red are our favorite colors!
