Friendship

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24 ESV

There is a distinct difference between a companion and a friend. Who would you trust with your life? What about your family? Would you trust the welfare of your children with a companion or a true friend?

We tend to pick up many friendships along life’s way, but not many true friends. I reckon you could count on one hand the number of trusted friends you have. Don’t get me wrong, it is good to have friendships as they make life go smoother, but much better to enjoy the company of those few real, true, trusted friends who make life glide more smoothly!

If you have such friends, hold them close to your heart. You will always have that person’s best interests, and they, yours. When our verse suggests that your friend sticks closer than a brother, you have the closest of bonds, and that bond will not, and cannot be broken. Take note of the first part of our verse where it says you can have many different companions, but they are not trustworthy, and will bring you to ruin because they will work against each other, supposedly on your behalf and allegedly in your interest. Nothing is closer to the truth. 

Think about those ‘distant friends’ you have and the number of times their good intentions have landed you in trouble. You know the old saying that “the road to hell is paved with good intentions”, and never let yourself be deceived by that friend, like Judas who kisses your cheek while selling you, body and soul, down the river! Learn the lesson before you get badly hurt.

Life teaches us many lessons, but this is one of the toughest to learn, and is usually painful, so take care as you recognise and choose your friends.

The Journey - With Friends

A good walk can be made better (or worse) depending on the company you keep along the way. Have you ever had a conversation with someone who is hard work? Take that short time, and multiply it many times over because when you are on a long walk with friends that 10 miles can feel like 20 if the talk of your travelling companion is difficult.

It’s a good thing to plan your route and even more important that you choose your walking partners carefully. That’s not to say that some folks have no worth. They will be worth their weight in gold under different circumstances, but when you are side by side for such a long time, it is essential you make the journey as enjoyable as possible.

We all have friends in our lives whose company we enjoy. Maybe we have been friends since school days, but on our faith walk it becomes apparent very quickly that the common ground of conversation and lifestyle is not quite the same. You might want to enjoy the wonder of creation and talk about your friend and Saviour, the Creator. On the other hand if your walking partner wants to brag about their pub, club and Godless lifestyle, it can and will sour the experience of the journey. I am not saying our friends must all be Christians, but be careful not to exclude them as we try to look ‘cool’ and in touch with the world.

Our faith journey is a very special one, and the road can be narrow, so making room beside you for a like minded person just makes sense. And let’s face it, that narrow path is not the one chosen by some of our friends. They may stay our friends, but at the end of the trek, we will have a different destination. That’s worth keeping in mind when we start choosing. As a final thought, I have noticed that my true friends who have lasted are also the ones of like mind. Some of the pals made in my youth have become occasional colleagues now. To any younger readers, I would suggest that you take good care of the people who surround you. They may all be your friends now, but the real friends who will last will be more than just those who make you laugh now!

God’s temple cannot have anything to do with idols, and we are the temple of the living God. As God said, I will live with them and walk with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. So come away from those people and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch anything that is not clean, and I will accept you. I will be your father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord All-Powerful. 2 Corinthians 6:16-18