Let's begin by thinking about the difference between an acquaintance and a friend. There is a difference. That difference is the dimension of depth. There are those who make the acquaintance of many and count that as social success. So, one can end up with many acquaintances but no real friends, for a friend is much more than an acquaintance. The proverbial wisdom of Israel made the distinction this way. "Some friends play at friendship, but a true friend sticks closer than one's nearest kin" (Proverbs 18:24). This poses a question to us. If you want to make a finger count of your acquaintances, would ten fingers be enough? Hardly! If you want to count your friends, are ten fingers more than enough?

In the biblical narratives there are two stories of friendship that stand out. One is the …