1. How do many view friendship?

 AS WITNESSES of Jehovah, we are keenly aware of the stand we must take for true worship. We constantly need to battle the negative influence of the world. That battle includes refusing to allow the spirit of this world to shape our view of friendship. For example, some feel that what matters most is the number of friends they have, not the quality or the depth of their relationships. Many young people look only to their peers for advice and comfort. Still others believe that they do not need any friends at all, that they are better off on their own. How do Jehovah and Jesus view friendship?

2. (a) How did Jesus show that he valued meaningful friendships? (b) According to Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, what can good friendships provide?

² Jehovah wants us to have friends who will help us to serve him faithfully. His Son, Jesus, chose these kinds of friends. Shortly before he offered up his life, Jesus commended his faithful apostles: “You are the ones who have stuck with me in my trials.” He viewed them as friends. (Luke 22:28; John 15:15) A true friend is someone who sticks with you not only during times when everything is running smoothly but also during “times of distress.” (Prov. 17:17) Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 a reveals that true friends can strengthen and comfort us. (Read.) They provide both support and encouragement. With such friends, we can “take a stand” against any spiritual threat that may come our way. And when our friendships include spiritual activities, they have the potential to accomplish remarkable things and to last forever.

3. What will we consider in this article?

³ How can true friends help a young person to serve Jehovah faithfully? How can parents and other mature ones help fill a young person’s need for friends? Let us examine the prophet Daniel’s example and see how he was able to overcome seemingly impossible challenges. We will also see how Daniel’s best Friend, Jehovah, supported him even when he was isolated.

TRUE FRIENDS HELP US MAKE THE CHOICE TO SERVE JEHOVAH

4. What challenges did young Daniel face?

⁴ Daniel’s story begins during a difficult period in the history of God’s people. The kingdom of Judah had lost Jehovah’s favor because the inhabitants were unfaithful. As a result, in 620 B.C.E., Jehovah allowed King Nebuchadnezzar to make Judah subject to Babylon. (Dan. 1:2) At the time, Daniel was probably a teenager. A few years later, he was taken into exile and was brought to the city of Babylon for training. (Dan. 1:3-6) Young Daniel now found himself far from home and separated from his family.

5-6. Who may have helped Daniel make the choice to serve Jehovah?

⁵ What prepared Daniel for the challenges he would face in Babylon? The Bible tells us that he had “resolved in his heart” to follow God’s laws. (Dan. 1:8) Someone must have taught Daniel those laws and helped him make the choice to serve Jehovah when he was young. Did his parents help him? Interestingly, Daniel’s name means “My Judge Is God.” Perhaps this name reflected his parents’ desire that Daniel serve Jehovah and follow His guidance.​—Deut. 6:6, 7.

⁶ Daniel may also have been encouraged by the work done by the prophet Jeremiah. Why is that a reasonable conclusion? Note these facts: Jeremiah was appointed by Jehovah in 647 B.C.E. and began his ministry before Daniel was born. (Jer. 1:2) Jeremiah often delivered Jehovah’s messages to the royal family and other prominent men, a group that may have included Daniel’s family. (Jer. 1:17, 18; Dan. 1:3, 6) We cannot say for sure whether Jeremiah and Daniel were friends. Still, even as a young man, Daniel may have been familiar with Jeremiah’s prophecies, including those Daniel consulted decades later. (Jer. 25:11; 29:10; Dan. 9:1, 2) In Jeremiah, Daniel may have seen a bold and determined man who remained faithful although surrounded by men who did not serve Jehovah.

7-8. How can parents and other mature Christians help young ones today to remain loyal to Jehovah?

⁷ It is reasonable to believe that Daniel’s parents, the prophet Jeremiah, or other faithful servants of Jehovah were a good influence on him. They must have helped him develop a close, personal relationship with Jehovah.

⁸ Parents today can also be a good influence on their children. If you are a parent, ask yourself: ‘Are my children prepared to face tests of neutrality? How will they respond to temptations that arise at school and online? Are they ready to take a stand for true worship during the great tribulation?’ Help your children to deepen their love for Jehovah and their trust in him. How? Regularly discuss spiritual topics with them, teach them how to participate at meetings, and work with them in the ministry. Young people especially benefit by spending time with those who, like Jeremiah, are examples of faith and loyalty.

TRUE FRIENDS HELP US WHEN WE FACE TEMPTATION

9. What dangerous situation did Daniel and other young Hebrews find themselves in?

⁹ When Daniel and other young Hebrews were taken captive, they were exposed to temptations that they had not faced while living at home. The Babylonians immediately tried to force them to adapt to their ways and customs. The young men were also to receive training in order to serve in the king’s palace. But this training would also expose them to situations that would test their loyalty to Jehovah.

10. What was the first test of loyalty that the young Jews faced?

¹⁰ Their first test of loyalty may have appeared minor: The king ordered Daniel and the other young exiles to eat food that was provided from the royal table. This provision included food that according to the Mosaic Law was unclean. (Dan. 1:5, 8) The young men could have sought to justify breaking the Law; after all, they were captives who were not free to do what they wanted. They might have further reasoned that it would not be wise to disappoint or even anger the king. What would they do?

11. How did Daniel’s choice of friends prove wise? (See also picture.)

¹¹ Among the Hebrew youths who had been selected for training, only four​—Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—​are mentioned in the account as staying loyal to Jehovah. These four friends helped one another to resist temptation and to stay faithful. Together they refused the king’s food and proved their loyalty to Jehovah. As a result, Jehovah blessed them.​—Dan. 1:6-12, 17.

12. What can help young ones today to fight temptations successfully?

¹² As a young person, do you sometimes feel pressured to give in to a temptation? Daniel and his friends helped one another to make the right decision. Like those faithful young people, choose companions who are determined to remain loyal to Jehovah and to resist the pull of the world. (1 John 2:15-17) True friends can help you to stay faithful even in “what is least” and to experience Jehovah’s blessing and support. (Luke 16:10) And your faithfulness in these “little things” will help you to be faithful when you face bigger tests later in life.

TRUE FRIENDS HELP US TACKLE SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE CHALLENGES

13. What seemingly impossible challenge did Daniel and his friends face?

¹³ True friends can help one another tackle seemingly impossible challenges. Consider the challenge that Daniel and his friends faced when King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that troubled him. He wanted to know what it meant. So he sent for the magic-practicing priests and the sorcerers of Babylon. Instead of relating the dream to them and then asking for the interpretation, the king insisted that his advisers first tell him what his dream was about and then interpret it​—an impossible task for any human! (Dan. 2:3, 9-11) If they failed to do so, they were to be put to death. Daniel and his friends were among the wise men who were in danger of being executed. Throughout this trial, Daniel and his three friends stood together.

14. How did the young Hebrews support one another? (See also pictures.)

¹⁴ Daniel approached the king tactfully, asking for some extra time to find the answer. Then Daniel turned to his friends. The account tells us what happened next: “He asked them to pray for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions would not be destroyed.” (Dan. 2:18) Jehovah answered their heartfelt prayers, and he revealed the dream and its interpretation to Daniel. As a result, Daniel and his friends were spared, and the king gave them positions of honor.​—Dan. 2:19, 47-49.

15. What lessons can we learn from this account? (Galatians 6:2)

¹⁵ This account offers valuable lessons. First, you do not need to face trials alone. Never let pride or embarrassment prevent you from seeking help. Second, do not hesitate to ask others to pray about a matter for you. (2 Cor. 1:11) Reflect on the power of earnest prayer. The “Hearer of prayer” can help us to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges. (Ps. 65:2; Eph. 3:20) When we have friends who also serve Jehovah, we can rely on them for strength and support to endure life’s trials.​—Read Galatians 6:2.

A TRUE FRIEND WHO CAN SUPPORT US IN ANY SITUATION

16. What trial did Daniel face in his old age?

¹⁶ Jehovah is a true Friend who can support us in any situation, even when we may be isolated from others. By the time Daniel was an old man​—probably in his 90’s—​Babylon had fallen to the Medes and the Persians and he was now serving King Darius. Some in the royal court, envious of Daniel’s position, plotted to have him killed. They manipulated the king into making a law that would forbid anyone from praying to any god except the king. Daniel refused to comply, so he was thrown into the lions’ pit. There he appeared to be alone​—without human friends to help him face that trial. But was he truly alone?​—Dan. 6:4-16.

17. According to Daniel 6:19-23, how did having a strong friendship with Jehovah help Daniel?

¹⁷ Daniel 6:19-23 explains the miraculous way in which Daniel was rescued. (Read.) In the lions’ pit, Daniel was supported by the most powerful Friend anyone could have, Jehovah God, who rescued him from the jaws of the lions. After the ordeal was over, Daniel told the king: “My God sent his angel and shut the mouth of the lions, . . . for I was found innocent before him.” (Dan. 6:22) Daniel’s unwavering faith in his best Friend, Jehovah, sustained him when his life hung in the balance.

18. Why is drawing close to Jehovah important, and how can we do this? (See also pictures and the box “ Jehovah​—Our Father, Our God and Friend.”)

¹⁸ You too may find yourself isolated from friends and family, perhaps because of an assignment in a remote territory, an unexpected move, limited health and strength, or even imprisonment. Circumstances in life might make you feel lonely or disconnected. In such moments, it is important to remember that God’s friends are never truly alone. Jehovah himself offers us protection and care wherever we may be. (Ps. 139:7-10) Trust that Jehovah sees you and will sustain you.

FRIENDS FOR LIFE

19. Why do we need to strengthen our friendships now? (1 Thessalonians 5:2, 11)

¹⁹ Building strong friendships is crucial today. True friends help us make wise decisions as we approach “Jehovah’s day.” They encourage us and build us up. (Read 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 11.) Recognizing that “the end of all things has drawn close,” the apostle Peter wrote: “Above all things, have intense love for one another.”​—1 Pet. 4:7, 8.

20. What should we look for in true friends, and what will be the outcome if we choose them wisely?

²⁰ True friends are a gift from Jehovah, and we need them more than ever. So like Daniel, make friends with others. Seek out those in your congregation who, like Jeremiah, can inspire and guide you. Surround yourself with those who can strengthen your resolve to stay loyal to Jehovah. Humbly ask others to pray for you, when needed. Above all, remember who your best Friend is​—Jehovah. He will never abandon you. (Heb. 13:5) With Jehovah’s help, together we can take our stand against anything that threatens us today and enjoy friendships that will last forever.