I have been told when it comes to friendships, my standards are too high. I have few true friends so I guess that may be true. The question is, is that a good or bad thing? In my humble opinion, I believe people tend to use the word friend too loosely these days. Everybody that is in your life is not your true friend! I do set high standards when it comes to friendships or any other relationships in my life. Someone said to me that everybody they meet is a friend until they prove otherwise. And that’s ok for them. For me, I am thankful for God’s discernment. By using it, I have eliminated a lot of unnecessary drama and hurt in my life. Don’t get it twisted, I love people and I accept everybody as they are. With that being said, as my Mama used to say, ” Some people you have to love with a long handle spoon” (from a distance.) There is also a saying, “keep your enemies close.” Why would I keep a snake close so he or she can bite me? That’s like saying keep the devil close so he can cause chaos and disturb my peace. No thank you. I rather watch that thang from a distance!
A true friendship is one of God’s greatest gifts. One of the noblest friendships in the Old Testament developed between Jonathan and David. They achieved true friendship despite difficult circumstances. The Lord chose David to succeed King Saul. Jonathon traditionally would have been heir to the throne instead of David, so it would have been natural for him to see David as his enemy. Yet when David returned from the battlefield and appeared in King Saul’s court with the head of Goliath in his hand, the Bible says “the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul”(1 Samuel 17:57, 18:1). Jonathan’s love for David is even more remarkable when contrasted with his father Saul. Saul, out of jealousy tried to kill David. Jonathan helped David escape while he tried to soften Saul’s heart (Samuel 19:4-5). Jonathan was a true friend.
The Lord Jesus Christ gave us the definition of a true friend: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:13-15) Jesus is the pure example of a true friend, for He laid down His life for His “friends.” The good news is, anyone may become His friend by trusting in Him as his personal savior, being born again and receiving new life in Him. We are blessed if we have at least one true friend here on earth. We are more than blessed if we have accepted Jesus as our friend and savior! Just as Jesus can look into our hearts and see our pain, a true friend sees the pain in our eyes while everyone else believes your smile. Love and Blessings…
The Lord Jesus Christ gave us the definition of a true friend: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:13-15). Jesus is the pure example of a true friend, for He laid down His life for us, His friends. The good news is, anyone may become His friend by trusting in Him as his personal savior, being born again and receiving new life in Him. We are blessed if we have at least one true friend here on earth. We are more than blessed if we have accepted Jesus as our true friend and savior! Just as Jesus can look into our hearts and see our pain, a true friend sees the pain in our eyes while everyone else believes your smile. Love and Blessings…
“The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” (Proverbs 12:26)
“Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” (1 Corinthians 15:37)
One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. ( Proverbs 18:24)
“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” (Proverbs 13:20)
“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” (Proverbs 27:17)NLT
EMMANUEL 