Something For Sunday Easter 2022
By Robert Jones
In 2016 author Timothy Keller encouraged an audience to reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus as the ultimate act of friendship. He then pointed out that friendship can be captured in the two concepts of candor and constancy.
Candor is an open and unreserved sense of honesty. Candor is a willingness to be vulnerable by exposing what you truly think and feel. Those with candor make others feel comfortable by willingly revealing their own infirmities.
Constancy is the quality of faithfulness, and steadfastness, and is exemplified by those who are dependable. People of constancy are great friends because others know that there is someone they can always call upon. It is through these prisms of candor and constancy we get a striking glimpse of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Is there any higher sense of constancy that to lay down one’s life for another? Can we find anyone more dependable than someone willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice for our own good? No, there is no further anyone can go in an effort not to let us down than giving their own life.
Jesus is the example of excellence in friendship because in death he proved his constancy has no bounds. Additionally, what splendid candor he has shown in his resurrection. After a display of unlimited power, Jesus stands with unlimited compassion, with arms wide open he bids each one of us to come and share. Come and share your struggles. Come and share your burdens. Come and share your failures. With me, you find a friend who accepts where you are and will travel the road with you as you progress to a better destination.
Jesus is exactly the friend we all need. One of candor who always lets us in and one of constancy who never lets us down. Jesus is also the type of friend we should strive to be for others. We must be open and honest with all those we encounter. We must draw others in even when they have offended us. We must also be dependable. We must find it in ourselves to be faithful even when others are flakey.
Remember that this Easter season, Jesus has been the ultimate friend to us. We truly honor his friendship when we become a friend of candor and constancy to others.
