You can’t go far or do too much in life without valuable associations. God made it that way. We are all social creatures made to interact with one another.
However, the truth is that not every association is healthy. You can be in the midst of a crowd and still feel alone and lonely. When this happens, you may be surrounded by the wrong set of people. You may need friends around you.
The Value of Friendships
I can tell you that today I have great people whom I can trust with my life. I’ve grown more and have gotten stronger because of my association with them.
In my life, I’ve learned the definition of true friendship and what I needed in one, as well as what I could offer and how committed I could be to it.
It isn’t just about the sheer fun of having friends. This is my life, and I have learned to surround myself with those who will help me stand, those who matter to me and made me matter to them.
Because of the friends I’ve made, I don’t have to travel life alone anymore. They are people who stand by me for my good, no matter how many people stand against me.
For me, the most profound example of true friendship, one that helped shape my own definition, is that of David and Jonathan—the son of King Saul. Their brotherly love for each other is pure, transcending ambition, power, and status.
Priscilla and Aquila, a married couple, are another great example who befriended the Apostle Paul. They are willing to support him anywhere, work with him, defend him, and care for him. At one point, he even lives and works with them.
For me, even though I have a strong friend group now, there was a time when I couldn’t trust those around me with personal issues or with myself. Not because I didn’t want to, but they just weren’t really “there” for me in the real sense.
I knew it wasn’t true friendship because I still felt so alone when I was around them. I had read about friends, and I knew that these people, whom I couldn’t trust and didn’t know well, weren’t my friends at all.
What Does the Bible Say about Friendships?
As we look at what friends are, here are some things the Bible says about what they do and why we need them:
1. A friend influences and contributes to your growth.
“As iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”
Proverbs 27:17
2. A friend is reliable and consistent.
“There are friends who pretend to be friends, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
Proverbs 18:24
3. A friend believes in and loves you.
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
Proverbs 17:17
4. A friend would be willing to hurt your feelings with the truth if it would help you.
“Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.”
Proverbs 27:5-6
5. A friend is willing to forgive and let go of grudges.
“He who forgives an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter alienates a friend.”
Proverbs 17:9
6. A friend is there to help.
“For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up.”
Ecclesiastes 4:10
Friends are that important. In fact, if we cannot complement each other, there is no friendship there. Doctors say that friendships are also important for your health and quality of life.
Your Responsibility
It’s also important to note that friendship is not one-sided. You have to be willing to be for your friend what you would want them to be to you.
Through this model of friendship, we can build long-lasting relationships with our circle of trust. Don’t use people only when it benefits you alone. There is already a lot of that out there. You be the difference.
“A righteous man turns away from evil, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.”
Proverbs 12:26
Through prayer and discernment, you can carefully look out there and engage with relationships that add value to your life.
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