December 16, 2020
Have you ever longed for hope and your friends helped bring it to you? Have you ever lost hope because of friends that hurt you instead of helped? Have you ever had friends that gossiped about you? Have you ever had a friend that you could always count on? Do you need a friend today? If yes, where will you find one? What is a true friend? In our modern social media crazed world, I hear people saying I have 5,000 friends so I must be great, or I have some that say I only have 100 friends so I must not be likable. Are the friends you have on social media really friends? So, what makes someone a true friend?
When the Bible talks about friendship there are important things to recognize. “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24 (ESV) A good friends stick with you no matter what. In fact, it says they are closer than a brother. But also, not that it distinguishes between a companion and a friend. It seems that we have many companions but few friends.
Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” (ESV) A true friend loves you no matter what. If you are disappointing them, they love you. If you are doing well, they love you, if you are pleasing them, they love you.
In fact, a true friend is born from adversity. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (ESV) There is safety in numbers and close friends aid and assist.
1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.’” (ESV) It is therefore important that we choose the right friends. We do not need friends who gossip, lead us into sin, or lie about us to others.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (ESV) the role of a true friend is that of an encourager.
These are just a few of the qualities of a true friend. So, find someone who will not be bad company and if you have someone in your life who is bad company, you might want to witness to them and pray they become good company. And you might have to spend less time with them, so they do not influence you seriously. As for good qualities, look for a few people that encourage you, love you, stick with you, and will strengthen you in your mutual friendship so that you can become a cord not easily broken. You also need to look for friends that bring hope.
Remember the greatest friend you can have is Jesus who meets all the qualifications of a true friend and He will never fail you. If you do not know Jesus, the true source of hope does not abide in you. Learn how to get the hope you need. Learn how to know Jesus
If you have not read my previous blogs you can find them here.
You can find my book, Hope Amid Hopelessness: Our Abba Father Provides a Way Through Mental Illness here.
eBook or Audiobook versions can be found at Westbow Press or Christianbook.com at Amazon or Google
