LIVING TRUTHS FROM THE PROVERBS

PART 30 - FRIENDSHIPS

I. Friends, everyone has had or now has someone that they can call a friend. Maybe there is even someone out of the past that we have fond memories of that we would still consider as a "best friend". Perhaps there is a person or a family that is very close to you now that you consider as a "best friend(s)". We need to be careful here with the term "best friend" on account of it could possibly be used to show partiality and result in the hurting of someone’s' feelings. In balance and used with wisdom there is nothing inherently wrong with the term but we must be careful to not hurt anyone. What does the Bible have to say about a friendship? What kind of bonds are to be made? Who can be a friend? Can we have "best friends"? As we examine this subject, I believe that God will reveal the answers to these questions and clear up any thoughts that we might have that aren't aligned to the Scriptures. What is the best definition of a "friend"? Some are listed below.

An English publication once conducted a contest for the best definition of a friend.

1. "One who multiplies joys, divides grief."

2. "One who understands our silence."

3. "A volume of sympathy bound in cloth."

4. "A watch which beats true for all time and never runs down."

5. "A friend-the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out." (This one won)

Now for some biblical definitions and distinctions.

A. Friendships are to be true and unchangeable.

1. Prov. 17:17;

B. Friendships are to be remembered, and cherished.

1. Prov. 27:10;

C. There is to be an inspiring, stimulating part of a friendship.

1. Prov. 27:17;

II. There is one friend that we have that we may not even consider as a friend. God proclaims Himself as our friend. One who will never leave us nor forsake us. One who is closer to us than a brother. A friend in time of need, a friend who is there even when we don't think about it.

A. Closer than a brother is our God.

1. Prov. 18:24; (Jn 15:15)

B. God who is our friend is also our intercessor.

1. Job 16:19-21;

"Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as a man pleads for his friend." NIV

C. We are counted as Gods' friends even as Abraham was.

1. James 2:23; (Isa 41:8)

D. Jesus had several "close" friends.

1. Jn. 11:5;

2. Jn. 13:23;

III. There are different types of friends. We have often heard of "fair weather friends". The Bible teaches us of the different classes of friends, some are good, some are bad. Some we are to be careful of, some are to be trusted with our lives.

A. Those to be careful of.

1. Prov. 22:24;

"Do not make friends with a hot tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered," NIV

B. Those to walk with, those to not walk with.

1. Prov. 13:20;

C. Wealth brings many "friends"; poverty loses them.

1. Prov. 14:20;

2. Prov. 19:4;

3. Prov. 19:6,7;

D. The Bible warns us to be cautious.

1. Prov. 12:26;

"A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray." NIV

"Be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing." Benjamin Franklin

IV. The Bible gives us several examples of friendships. Some of these were friendships that were to last a lifetime, others were unfailing even to the point of death for the sake of the other(s). Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends". Certainly, Jesus was our greatest example in this as he willingly laid down His life for all of us.

A. David and Jonathan.

1. I Sam. 18:1-4;

2. I Sam. 20:16;

B. Ruth and Naomi.

1. Ruth 1:15-18;

C. Elijah and Elisha

1. II Kings 2:2;

D. Aquila and Priscilla were friends of Paul.

1. Rom 16:3,4;

E. So also was Onesiphorus.

1. II Tim. 1:16;

These were covenant relationships. Today, we must also strive for covenantal relationships with those who are close to us. Those who we consider our very best friends and those who we are continuing to develop relationships with and are growing in those relationships with.

The North American Indians had no written alphabet before the white man came to this country but their vocabulary was far from crude or primitive. Our word "friend" seems meaningless and cold compared to "one-who-carries-my-sorrows-on-his-back".

Friendship is like a garden,

Of flowers fine and rare,

It cannot reach perfection,

Except through loving care,

Then, new and lovely blossoms

With each new day appear,

For friendship, like a garden,

Grows in beauty year by year.

Anna Holden King