Think about your earliest friendships.
Did you plan them? Or did they blossom out of the moment, someone who lived near you or that you went to school with?
Have you had any of those friendships go sour? It does happen on occasion.
How can we be sure our friendships will be successful? The Bible gives us 4 Guides for a Good Friendship.
Guide No. 1:
We must choose someone who will stick at our side even when life gets tough.
Proverbs 18:24 says:
“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
Guide No. 2:
We must be a good friend in return, one who listens and accepts suggestions for improvement.
Proverbs 19:20 says:
“Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.”
Guide No. 3:
We must treat our friends with respect. Learn their likes and dislikes. Be considerate when we’re apart as well as together.
Proverbs 24:5 says:
“A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might.”
Guide No. 4:
Here’s the toughie. Some people do not make good friends. We must learn to recognize them and steer clear. We tend to slip and fall on banana peels, not learn to walk with firmer steps.
Proverbs 22:24-25 says:
“Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.”
We need people. They need us. We must order our relationships by God’s standards. We have the guidelines. Let’s get to it today.
A good friend is one we look forward to seeing every time.
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Code: FGO.F.22.19a.vp.esv