True Friends

Proverbs 18:²⁴ “There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.”

Proverbs 12:²⁶ “The righteous choose their friends carefully…” (NIV). God’s Word advises us to avoid having Lazy People, Angry People, Immoral People, and Stingy People as our close friends. The fifth kind of people God says we should not have in our circle are Unbelievers. Unbelieving people should not be your closest friends. I have heard people, even some Pastors, say that their closest friends are unbelievers because they do not trust Christians. They say Christians are hypocrites and I smile because the Word of God cannot be broken. 2 Cor.6:¹⁴ “Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers…” Christians are not perfect, but they have the Spirit of God. The unbeliever may be better behaved but when his father comes knocking…

I know this is not said a lot these days, but the truth is, that is what God requires of us. God expects us to love unbelievers. God expects us to sacrifice and serve unbelievers. God expects us to be people who unbelievers can look at and say this person is good and helpful. But they should not be in our circle – that is the Word of God. Choose wisely, and examine your circle. So, who are the people that should be in our circle? Choose close friends who will Challenge You Mentally. Proverbs 13:²⁰ “Be friends with those who are wise, and you will become wise…” (ERV). Choose close friends who will Support You Emotionally.

Proverbs 17:¹⁷ “A friend loves at all times… (NIV). We all go through challenges, but a friend is someone who walks in when everyone else walks out and someone who will support you emotionally. When you are going through a storm, a friend’s priority is not to see through you. A friend’s priority is to see you through. Sadly, we sometimes have people in our lives who want to see through us, talk down on us, and sound pious while doing it. Some even quote scriptures to shame you. Those are not friends. A friend would say to you, ‘I am going to stick with you until you go through this’. If you check the scriptures, that is what friendship is.

The classic example is when a friend who likes to text and drive has a ghastly accident. When you get to the scene, you find him bleeding. You do not even say anything. You just take your friend to the hospital and take care of his car and bills. Then you stand by him, supporting him emotionally. That is what friends do. You do not stand over him and say, ‘I told you to stop texting and driving’. That is not a friend, that is the work of the devil, to accuse the brethren. He even quotes scriptures, he did it with Jesus. That it sounds pious does not mean it is the right thing to say.

Prayer: Father, make me a true friend and bless me with true friends, in Jesus Name. Amen!