When things are going well in our lives, they are there. At the first sign of trouble, that person departs. A good friend is one who may not be there for your successes and triumphs, but who always will be there for you in your troubles and defeats. Loyalty has been likened to a sunflower that follows the sun even on a cloudy day. A field of sunflowers is a thing of beauty—so is a good friend.

At His last meal with the disciples, Jesus spoke about friendship. He called them friends and said a friend would lay down his life for another (John 15:13-15). He also shared His innermost thoughts with those friends. Their loyalty had not yet been tested, but it was about to be. Even though they fled in fear from Gethsemane, they did come to His execution. They may have been bewildered, confused, fearful, hurt and disappointed in the events, but they did remain loyal to Jesus. Jesus entrusted His mother to John—His friend (John 19:26-27). Follow the example of Jesus and learn how to be a loyal friend.