Scriptural Consideration

“A true friend shows love at all times.” —Proverbs 17:17

The prison was cold. Damp. Loud with the clanging of chains and the murmurs of the condemned. And yet, in that dim Roman cell, Paul was not alone. A brother sat nearby—not by command, not by necessity, but by choice. Aristarchus, the Macedonian from Thessalonica, had followed Paul through riot, storm, and shipwreck, and now, quietly, he shared in Paul’s chains.

Their bond wasn’t built on shared hobbies or convenience. It was forged in fire—in the mob at Ephesus (Acts 19:29), through plots in Greece (Acts 20:2-4), across the violent seas to Rome (Acts 27:1, 2, 41). Aristarchus didn’t fade when it got dangerous. He didn’t retreat when the crowds turned cruel. Instead, he stayed. When others might have fled to comfort or safety, Aristarchus stepped closer to the struggle.

So what about us? In a time when many choose friends who entertain or flatter, Jehovah calls us to something deeper. True Christian friendship isn’t measured by laughs or ease, but by loyalty. Do we walk beside our brothers and sisters when they’re misunderstood, sick, or shamed? Are we there when the calls stop coming, when others pull away? Like Aristarchus, we can bring warmth into cold places—not with eloquence, but with presence.

Many of us know a brother who’s faltering, a sister who’s weary. They may not say it aloud, but they are longing for someone to sit beside them—not with answers, but with love. Loyalty doesn’t always roar. Sometimes it whispers, “I’m still here.”

A true friend shows love at all times. Jehovah treasures that kind of loyalty, and He notices it—even if no one else does. The world may overlook the Aristarchuses among us. But Paul didn’t. And neither will Jehovah.

Let’s be the kind of friend who walks in… when everyone else walks out.

—w20.01 9 ¶4-5