Friendship

"A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."           Proverbs 18:24   NKJV

It is good to have friends but, one needs to be wise, having too many close friends can be  unhelpful. If one of your friends is very close, another close friend could become jealous of your relationship with the other. This can cause friction and may have to be addressed. Also, if there comes a time when you have some problems, you may be tempted to turn to one and seek their counsel. From thereon, you may also speak with each of the others, becoming totally confused about what you should do. This can happen when you want one of your friends to tell you want you want to hear. Try and avoid this. You'll know who your true friend is by the way they treat you, the one who is not afraid to put you right on something without it harming the friendship.

There are also the 'hangers on.' if you become popular in a certain thing, you may find that some people will attach themselves to you because they want to be with the 'in crowd' especially if you become wealthy. Solomon writes in Pro 19:4, 'Wealth makes many friends, but the poor is separated from his friend.' This is a true statement, the wealthy or successful you are, you may find people want to be around you. But if you fall, you may be totally avoided. We can see this within the political world where the more you support a politician, the more you feel wanted. If you stop this support, they are nowhere to be found.

Many have made the mistake of taking the latter part of verse 24, misinterpreting as Jesus being the close friend, the one who sticks closer than a brother. To a degree, this is partly true; Jesus will stick with you, befriending you, supporting you and showing you His love and care. However, Solomon was writing here about that special friend; the one you know is genuine and will love and support you and stand with you through all adversity. This is the friend we all need. Yes, Jesus is like this but it is helpful to have that special one who will stick with you through thick or thin. The one who will be brave enough to tell you that you are wrong but will not desert you. These people are hard to find and you must be prepared to be the same with them as they are with you. This is true friendship and one which is special.

If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now:

'Lord Jesus, I have sinned and I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today.

In Jesus' Name. Amen'

Copyright 2024 Grahame Howard.                                

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