Monday, October 17, 2022
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17
As Iron Sharpens Iron
Life is hard. In the middle of those hard times, if we don’t have anyone on the journey with us, it can get really lonely. Friends are a beautiful gift from God, and He gave us friendships because He knew we would need others as we walked through this life. He will always be with us and the Holy Spirit, but He also gave us special people in our lives who will walk beside us, encourage us, pray for us, and even hold us up at times.
The Bible says a lot about friends so that tells us that friendship is important. A real friendship is not forced or manufactured. It is authentic, honest, and transparent. There is complete trust between two friends, and acceptance of who we are, exactly the way we are, without judgement. True friends also fulfill needs for each other.
Loneliness is a complex thing. You can be alone and not be lonely, but you can also be lonely and not alone. You can feel lonely in a crowded room. You can even feel lonely when you are in the midst of family and friends. Certain circumstances in life can cause us to withdraw from others because we may feel like we will be judged, or we feel ashamed. Sometimes we just don’t feel like we fit anywhere. Most often we withdraw because we are judging ourselves and imagine that others feel the same way. We may also withdraw because we just feel bad and we don’t want to see or talk to anyone. Sometimes that’s okay but prolonged withdrawal will cause us to close up to others – some who God sends our way to help us. We can even become closed off to God. Satan wants us to be isolated from friends and loved ones that remind us of God’s goodness and faithfulness. He wants us to close ourselves off from God and others so he can fill our minds with lies that we are unwanted, unloved, unworthy, and unacceptable.
Quality over Quantity
It doesn’t matter how many friends you have. The truth is that a few good friends are worth far more than dozens of fair-weather friends. If you have to jump through all the hoops to be someone’s friend, then you have not found a true friend. When we compromise our own values to be liked or counted as a friend, then that is not a friend. A true friend accepts us as we are while challenging us to be better.
Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17
Our closest friends have a great influence on us. If you have a friend that is doing something that is morally or ethically wrong, is it right to say nothing – to mind our own business? Especially if they ask our opinion, we need to be honest, not just give them the answer they want to hear. A true friend will challenge us to hold true to the values and morals that align with God’s word. True friends encourage us to be better – as iron sharpens iron.
Oil and perfume make the heart glad, so a man's counsel is sweet to his friend. Proverbs 27:9
