Proverbs 27:10
Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off. Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.
Proverbs 27:10 belongs to chapters 25-29, the proverbs of Solomon copied out by men appointed by Hezekiah about three hundred years after Solomon. It commands not forsaking one's own loyal friend or a friend of one's father and family. It teaches that in the day of calamity a neighbor who is near is more helpful and dependable than a brother who is far off.
The dependable nearby friend points to Jesus as the Friend who stays closer than a brother and is more faithfully kind than even a neighbor who is near. Loneliness and painful experiences can draw people closer to Jesus. They lead those who feel them to come to him in faith, to speak with him often and intimately, and to trust his sympathy and unfailing care. The greater a person's need, the stronger that person's claim on his help.