You have heard 
some variation of the joke I suppose. “A good friend will bail you out of jail. A great friend will be in the cell next to you.” Luther writes,
Solomon said, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy†[Prov. 27:6]. When an enemy speaks kindly to you, this is not affection, but rather the devil, who is out to destroy you in your sins. Ah, he says, you’re doing fine; go ahead! But a friend will be willing to hurt you. This is a rod, but it comes from the heart of a friend. – Martin Luther Sermon on Soberness and Moderation, 1539, Volume 51 American Edition, Luther’s works.
Are you willing to hurt your friends? I know I have no inclination to. But I hope I will always speak truth to my friends. I hope I remain always ready to cause temporary pain or discomfort in order to speak truth to them. I hope God will always give me good friends who will do the same to me.
I know comedic value is lost, but perhaps wisdom is gained if we add one more phrase, “”A good friend will bail you out of jail. A great friend will be in the cell next to you. A terrific friend will keep you out of jail.”
