Friend??? What???

I was thinking alot about the term friend and what it means. I think that sometimes it is a term that loses its shine because it is thrown around so easily like the words love and Christian. In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary the definition of friend is this...
1. one attached to another by affection or esteem
2. one that is of the same nation, party, or group
3. a favored companion

The other definitions do not ring to the definition matching this blog, however if you take a look at the 3 definitions given here....you will notice that a friend is someone that is favored, that you like, have affection for, or wanted to align yourself with. Now with that I say that those definitions are only part of the realization of what a true friend is. John 15 quotes a famous scripture that everyone (alot, sorry just being a little sarcastic) knows "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." However besides that one verse if you go to the rest of the chapter it is talking about the relationship between Jesus and His disciples and it paints the perfect picture of the way we should be. If we are friends with those things of the world we will never be friends with the things of Jesus. If you hate Jesus you hate God also. However if you find Jesus a favored companion, if you are attracted to Him with affection in which you want to follow Him, and if you are part of the same believing class as the disciples you will realize what true friendship is as well. Friendship is a bond between people or God or even other things in this world that is not easily broken. It is something you don't want to give up. Something that you would lay your life down for. You are not merely just an acquaintance of it or know about it/or them. You don't just hang out with it/or them. Friendship is in the end worth your own life for the sake of another person, God, or thing. So why are we so loose with the word? Why do we say we are friends with someone so quickly. We may be fond of someone or may be ok with being around them, but can we call them our friend? I don't know its your decision....I am just pondering. There are people that I would give my life for right now and for God I would find it worth losing my life.....so I can say that I am undecided but friendship is a huge thing. Don't be quick to call everyone a friend....