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by Buzz Dahlen The whole concept of friends and friendships has been on my mind recently. So, I started looking up what the bible has to say about the subject. I came across quite a few interesting verses. Lets just look at them in the order they appear in the bible… The poor are shunned even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends. Proverbs 14:20 Boy, how true is this? Too often, this is the case, because many consider what someone has to offer when making new friends. When we do this, we are missing out on some pretty amazing relationships. Ever consider how much a poor person appreciates a gift and how often a rich person takes wonderful things for granted? A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends. Proverbs 16:28 How true this can be. Some people cannot stand it when their friends have friends and so they have to do or say something to break up that relationship. These people are insecure and have to feel like they are in control. Unfortunately, too often they ruin the relationship between good friends. He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. Proverbs 17:9 Again, there are those who have to feel like they are in control. They hear things in private and later use that information to gain some sort of upper hand in a relationship. A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17 A true friend is there and remains there no matter what happens. The nice thing about a brother is, even if they do not like you they are still your brother. A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24 You can know so many people and still be stuck in some snowdrift with no one who you feel that you can call. A true friend does not mind when you call for help no matter what time it is. They might even thank you for calling them. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. Proverbs 27:6 What does this verse mean? To me it means that if you have a friend and they wound you, do something and hurts you, you can be sure that they did not do it on purpose. But an enemy will “kiss up” to you over and over again until they have you trusting them and then they will hurt you… Stuff happens between two friends, but because they are friends, they get through it, together. 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. John 15:13-15 Jesus said this. How true it is and He did not just talk the walk, He walked the talk. Jesus laid down His life for you and me and when we give our life to Him, we become His friends. Wow! What a thought, friends with Jesus Christ, the Son of God. One last verse… You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. James 4:4 Now you have to make a choice. You cannot be a friend to the “world” and be a friend of God, too. Too many people think they can be both, but God’s word is very clear about this. I have been blessed over my lifetime so far with many wonderful friends… Very blessed! I am so thankful for the friends that I have made while I have lived here in Cottonwood. Each friend is a gift from God, and I am like that poor man in the first verse, I appreciate the gift very much. Certainly, we should all appreciate our friends, but more importantly, you should have Jesus Christ as our friend. Is He? If so, great! If not, know that He wants to be your friend. Why not invite Him into your life today? |
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