1 Sam 20: Friendship

What is the mark of a true friendship? Common interest? Willing to spend time together? Standing up for one another? Openess to share everything? David and Jonathan were truly best of friends. vs.17..because he loved him as he loved himself...tells us that the depth of their brotherly love is to love another as himself. Jesus too mentioned that the greatest commandment is to love God all our all and to love our neightbours as ourselves. Hence the benchmark for us to evaluate our friendships is 'do we love our friend as ourself? Base on this, can we call ourselves a true friend? As I reflect about this, I find it really challenging because it is so easy to think of ourselves first. It even seems fair to put our interest first. Unless we allow God's spirit to help us, we will always remain superficial in our friendships. Only when we are filled with the love of God, we truly be able to meet the benchmark...that is to love our friends as ourselves.