"I consider him to be my friend, even though he never met me and wouldn't know my name."

"What kind of a friend is that?' said Dick.

"Well," explained Bill, "it's a friendship of a good man for all humanity. That fellow is always doing good for our community. He helps provide the parks which we enjoy. He worked on the financing of our community playground and he stands for good government. He is my friend because the world is better for his presence."

"It seems good to me to count my friends among those that call me Dick and who like the things I like. I don't mind helping such people but if they pay no attention to me, I will pay no attention to them."

Bill replied, "We all like friends who know us and we all need the recognition of persons who understand us. But community friendship with a sense of welcome to all is what makes a happy community. I want to be the kind of a friend who can help a stranger gladly as well as be trusted by those who are close to me."

Dick snorted, "You can sure be a sucker, a sucker for a soft touch with that attitude. Where did you get that idea? Let the strangers prove themselves or stay home."

"I find it in my Bible," offered Bill. "But more important I find it makes life happy for me to feel that way about all people. I like to make strangers happy as well as acquaintances for it makes me joyous within."

The world grows smaller as the hearts and minds of people grow bigger and friendship is the open door to world brotherhood. Many wonderful things have come to pass through friendships first begun by kindness to a stranger. It is true there are strangers who are thieves, but that is no excuse for Christians to steal and destroy opportunities for showing God's love. A negative attitude toward others crushes opportunities for Christian brotherhood.