"A friend in need is a friend indeed" is a general usage that we can seen in every day life. This is an idiomatic usage. This means that the one who help us in a bad circumstances is a good friend. We have many friend collection. But there are few people who stands with us in all time. They are may not be a best friend of us. Some times we refered them as a ' just friend' those people never avoid us in our bad situation. They support us their maximum and do help maximum they can. The bad situation revels who are the good and true friends are.
A large group of friend circle doesn't shows that we have a true and lovely friends. Friends are the group of people from different parts of society and family. May be we are in a longer friendship. Friends are from different characters. They may said that i am with you in every time. But we can't see them at that time. They escape by saying invalid excuses. It is good to face some bad situation. Because at that time we get few people who are trustworthy in their friendship. Don't let them go. Because they are precious.