Friends

Read this:

Proverbs 27:17 - "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."

Think about this:

A few weeks ago I was privileged to be in the wedding of one of my good friends from college. My wife and I drove from Houston up to Cleveland, Tennessee for the wedding, which was on a Saturday. Several college and ministry friends were also either in the wedding party or in attendance. What a blessing it was to see friends! During this time, we talked about old times, great memories, and hilarious moments that we all shared. During that weekend I also noticed, possibly for the first time, a few trends that united our friendships:

1. We all enjoyed a good laugh.

The Bible is clear in Proverbs 15:13, 15:15, and 17:22, that a merry heart is not only a blessing, but it works good into our lives. If your friends always seem to be down in the mouth about something, it’s high time you start looking for new friends! Don’t allow yourself to hang around those who always have a complaining, angry, or contentious spirit (see Numbers 11:1, Proverbs 22:24, Romans 16:17, I Corinthians 11:16). Make sure you can laugh with your friends! (And don’t take yourself so seriously…nobody else does!)

2. None of us were perfect.

The famous saying, “Who needs enemies when you’ve got friends like these!” often times seems to ring true. Our friends are those who have seen us not only on the mountaintop, but also in the depths of the valley. Unfortunately, sometimes the reason friends can hurt friends so badly is because they know them better than anyone else. Make sure that your friends are Galatians 6:1 friends. We ought to be quick to reset, restore, and forgive one another. Jesus told his disciples that by their love one to another all men would know them (John 13:35). The best way to have friends that forgive and love is for you to practice forgiveness and love in your friendships!

3. We were all in service to Jesus.

I truly believe that this is the ultimate test of friendship (John 15:13). Truthfully, we ought to be so consumed with our service to Christ that we have no room in our inner circle of friends for those who are not spending their lives in service to Him. To God be the glory, each one of my friends that weekend were in service to Jesus in some capacity. How it thrilled my heart to know that God is using us! Some were pastors, Christian schoolteachers, camp directors, and laymen. But they were all in service to Christ. I don’t pretend to believe that every person is where he or she ought to be spiritually. But your schedule and budget tell the irrefutable story of your priorities. And often times your friend’s priorities become or already are your own priorities.

So, let me ask you, who are your friends? Are they always down in the mouth, or can you laugh with them at life’s idiosyncrasies? Do they build you up, or tear you down? Are they actively involved in church, serving Christ in areas of their lives? Remember, it’s always easier to pull someone down rather than pull someone up. Make sure that your friends are influencing you for truth and right, and that you are influencing them for the same.