Prayer
Our True Friend
Is any one alone in this world? No. There are so many people alongside each one of us.
Who is there alongside us, encouraging and assisting us as we grow? (our parents, our brothers and sisters, ….. who else?)
Through our life we make friends with more and more people. Some friendships last a long time. Others may not.
No matter how many friends come and go from our lives, God is always with us. He loves each one of us. He cares for us all. He gave us laws and teachings to guide and protect us (as we prayed for in the song).
God is a true friend, because He overlooks our weakness and faults, and see the praiseworthy things in us. If we do something wrong, He forgives us.
We should thank God and, no matter what is happening, let Him be our friend and our guide.
‘Abdu’l-Baha told us that God is more a friend to each one of us, than we are to ourselves.
Story
This story helps us to see that trust in God will strengthen you in times of difficulty, and will enable you to pass through such times without letting bitterness into your hearts.
Baha’u’llah was arrested and sent to prison by an unjust government. The government was fearful of the truth of Baha’u’llah’s message. Not only Baha’u’llah but many were taken from their homes and families and locked in the most terrible prison, an underground dungeon, where they were bound in heavy chains.
The prisoners could breath no fresh air and the floor was covered in filth and crawling with rats and insects. No light reached the dungeon, it was always icy cold. As the prisoners sat facing each other in that horrible place, Baha’u’llah taught them to chant verses that strengthened their trust in God and reminded them that God would give them the strength they needed, and to hold tight to the truth that was in their hearts.
As evening came they would begin their song. “God is sufficient unto me” one row would call out, “He verily is the All-Sufficing!” then the other row would respond, “In Him let the trusting trust”.
Throughout the night they would repeat these words, so loudly that the sound of their uplifted voices reached even the king in his palace nearby.
When he heard the sound of the prisoners, the cruel king asked from where it came. He was told that this was the sound of the prisoners who were locked in the dungeon with Baha’u’llah.
The king said nothing more. It was clear that, no matter what horrible things he did to these prisoners, there was nothing he could do to turn them away from the truth that they had embraced.
Being a true friend
(Try to remember 1 or 2 of these things, for the questions at the end of the class)
True friends trust each other.
- Would a true friend lie to you? Or would they always be trustworthy?
- Would a true friend see the bad in you or the good?
- What would a true friend when you sometimes make a mistake?
- Does true friendship become weaker or stronger over time?
- We should all be trustworthy AND learn to choose friends to are trustworthy.
- We should not allow ourselves to be cheated by those who are not trustworthy.
- We need friends who wish to please God, and are trying to follow His path, and who will help us to stay on the straight path.
True friends care for each other:
- If our friend is sad we do what we can to bring joy to their hearts.
- If they are sick we want them to be cared for.
- We forgive them and they forgive us.
- Neither would every want to bring sadness to the heart of the other.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha begged God that we will bring joy to each other.
Questions:
- Can you tell me something about being a true friend?
- How do you know if someone is a good friend?
- Who is the truest Friend that you can have, and He is always with you, caring about you?
- Remember the prisoners? If we know God as our true friend then we are ready for anything.
A song about being a true friend.
Hola Lola (Song)