On the evening of Saturday, February 13, America mourned the loss of Justice Antonin Scalia. A member of the Supreme Court of the United States, Scalia passed away unexpectedly at the age of 79 while visiting a ranch in Texas. He is survived by his wife, nine children, and many grandchildren. It was a tragic loss for them indeed.

The ability to overlook the things we don't like about someone else with forgiveness and tolerance is the true power of friendship.

Justice Scalia was known for being full of enthusiasm and irreplaceable wit. His friends and colleagues say he was never afraid to talk to someone or raise questions in the courtroom. He was a "larger-than-life" figure. 

Justice Scalia is remembered, perhaps most of all, for belonging to the so-called "conservative wing" of the Supreme Court, adhering to a strict interpretation of the Constitution. In the fields of justice and politics, this earned him both allies and ideological opponents, including some of his fellow justices.

Perhaps no one stood against his beliefs more than Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Ginsburg is said to be a staunch member of the "liberal wing" of the court, and the two reliably voted against each other. The two were diametrically opposed in their ideology and ideas about the Constitution, but how did they interact otherwise?

"We were best buddies," wrote Ginsburg in a statement following Scalia's death. Indeed, the two "treasured friends" had a deep friendship that reached back from their days before the Supreme Court. Scalia himself once joked that they should be called the "odd couple" to reflect their strong relationship yet notable differences [source]. Both families also vacationed together and frequently spent holidays together, further reflecting their deep camaraderie. What can we make of this unlikely friendship?

"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse" (Romans 12:14). How easy would it have been for a young Justice Scalia or Ginsburg to loathe or dismiss the other for their ideological differences? Of course, then their incredible, decades-long friendship would not be there for them and their families to enjoy, or us to see as an example. God has called us to bless, love and honor everyone, regardless of their political opinions, religious perspective or other views they may have. Should you really hate that person because they aren't Christian? Should you really "un-friend" someone from Facebook who posted something you disagree with? What positive relationships are you missing out on?

"Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins" (Proverbs 10:12). Friendship and brotherly love have the opportunity to conceal the faults we see in others. We tolerate the negatives in order to build up the positives. In this way Justice Ginsberg was able to have a markedly positive relationship with Justice Scalia by acknowledging but not harping on their differences and emphasizing their mutual respect and kinship, and Scalia did the same to Ginsberg. The ability to overlook the things we don't like about someone else with forgiveness and tolerance is the true power of friendship.

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up" (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10). True, life-long friends are rare. The value of friendship is having a companion to rely on, no matter what happens; you know without question that they will stand up for you. You're confident they will tell you if you're wrong, and you aren't afraid to disagree, because you both know how much you mean to each other. Justice Scalia or Justice Ginsberg alone would have no one to bounce ideas off of, one less person to cover their weaknesses, and would be that much lonelier in the world.

God wants you and I to build positive relationships and friendships that last a lifetime. He gave us the ability to develop friendships, even in spite of many differences, because He knows that without them we would be very lonely. The true value of friendship is priceless.