Get Smart: Choosing Friends

I hope that you were able to apply some things we discussed last week on "Parent Traps" The great thing about gaining wisdom is the more we learn, the less we seem to know - I love that!

This week we get to grow in wisdom and stature when it comes to "Friends" Friendship in the bible is a very powerful relationship. In fact, a friend is referred to as someone that we can count on, trust in, fight for, and die for. How many friends do we have like this?

Proverbs 18:24 (NLT)

There are "friends who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.

The word "sticks" or "sticketh" literally means - to catch by pursuit, to fasten together, to adhere to. cleave.

The word "friend" literally means to have affection for, to love or be loved.

The thing that is interesting about this word "friend" is it is only used three other places with this meaning, 2 Chron. 20:7, Proverbs 27:6, Isaiah 41:8.

In both Chronicles and Isaiah it is referring to God and his relationship with the descendents of Abraham. There is a very powerful connection going on here. Now check this out in Proverbs.

Proverbs 27:6 (NIV)

Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.

We go through life looking for people to act this way toward us, to stick with us through thick and thin, who has our back, who we can cry with, laugh with and share our deepest, truest concerns without being judged or ridiculed. A person that can speak into our lives even though the truth they speak may hurt; we can know that it is coming from a heart that is motivated by love or affection for us. We all need this relationship in our lives and we all want to be that kind of friend to others, God designed us this way.

Elbert Hubbard said, "Your friend is a man who knows all about you, and still likes you.

I want you to catch something very important about this kind of friend. Notice in Proverbs 18:24 it says "a real friend", the KJV says "there is a friend." I do not think we will have many of these types of friends in our lives. We can look for them all we want, but remember the there is probably only one that can fulfill this type of friendship. And we can be this type of friend to maybe one person in our life.

I wonder if we would stop putting such high expectations on the people around us to be such a friend and focus more on being the friend.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said - "The only way to have friends is to be one."

John 15:9-15 (NIV)

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."

I thank God that we all can have one true friend and that is Jesus Christ. He actually gave His life for us and considers us His friend. With His help we can be a true friend to others.

Just a thought,

Your friend,

Mike