It’s 6:30 Monday morning. There’s not much traffic on Avenida America. I’m careful as I drive through the America / Libertador intersection. Unwritten rules seem to say that at these hours, the traffic lights are a nuisance to be ignored.

My friend is waiting for me at the corner by his house. As a pastor, this is my morning off. Monday morning I go to the Campos de Amiraya and golf with my friend. It’s a morning of relaxation and fun in one of the most beautiful settings in the Cochabamba valley.

It’s Friday night on the Prado. The restaurant tables are full of men playing dice games (Mauge, I don’t know the name of the game they play). They’re laughing and enjoying each other’s company.

My wife receives a phone call. Excitedly she plans a time for her girl friend and her to take some ladies new to Cochabamba to buy Tote Le Monde purses and to shop for souvenirs in the cancha and behind the Post Office. Then they’ll stop for coffee at their favorite coffee shop by the cathedral in Plaza Principal.

Sometimes I tell my wife that I think she has more fun with her girl friends than she does with me. I think she’d rather be with them than me! “No,” she reminds me, “I love you – and I love my friends. I love both in different ways. I need both for different reasons.”

David was a ruggedly strong, good looking young shepherd. He’d even killed a bear that had attacked his sheep. Jonathan was the king’s son. He was athletic, intelligent and in line to assume the throne when his father died. David was surprised one day when a prophet anointed him to be the next king of Israel.  Two young men from different backgrounds and on a collision course for the throne of Israel became the best of friends.

Men and women, boys and girls need healthy friendship of the same sex. This never replaces heterosexual relationships that lead to marriage and families as God created, but they are absolutely important for healthy families. Are we fostering these types of friendships between ourselves and in our children’s lives?

There is a third type of friendship that we need to cultivate for ourselves and for our children. The Bible calls it a friendship that is closer than a brother’s. It’s an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ – our creator, our lover, our Lord. Are we doing well with this friendship?

None of us are perfect as individuals – nor are our marriages perfect.  As we work together to maintain our love and a strong marriage, our homes will be a good environment for growing and happy children.