Love Your Friends! - Sharon Smail
Have you ever really pondered what a true biblical friendship is? Having the right…or wrong kind of friends will make such an impact on your life, either for good or bad. How many times have we told others to be wise and careful in choosing the right friends, realizing the impact it will have on them, but ignore this wisdom for ourselves. Are YOU the kind of friend the Lord would be pleased with? Here’s just a few questions to consider:
Proverbs 17:17a…”A friend loveth at ALL times.” Do you only love your friends when they meet all your expectations? Sometimes we put a lot of pressure on others that they aren’t able or equipped to fulfill. Do we sometimes assume, when they haven’t “ met our needs” as a friend, that we give them the cold shoulder, or we try to make them feel bad for not meeting our friendship “checklist’? True friendship will be more concerned with what they give to the relationship then what they get.
2. (Proverbs 22:24,25) Do you encourage and strengthen your friends in their walk with the Lord? Is YOUR walk with the Lord where it needs to be so you can “provoke” them “unto love and good works”? (Hebrews 10:24) Your friends should feel uplifted and motivated to be closer to the Lord after spending time with you.
3. (Proverbs 27:17 ) Are you a source of joy to your friends? You should be! What a gift from God to have them in your life that not only “sharpen you”(Proverbs 27:17), but bring you fun and laughter along the way! We’ve been given a wonderful privilege to serve our Savior, and there is nothing better than serving Him with friends that have the same heart for the Lord as you do, and the fun you can have serving Him together! I’m so thankful for the friends God has given me. Enjoy your friends and be grateful for them!