Friends

Bill Brinkworth

The right friend will build you up. The wrong friend will destroy you. Many will have their plans and lives changed because they picked the wrong friend or gave them the wrong priority in their lives! Many do not even know what a true friend is. Here is a short study on what the Bible says about a true friend:

Friendly all the time! A true friend loves us during the hard times as well as the good.
Proverbs 17:7 "A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. 18 A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend."

Proverbs 27: 10 "Thine own friend , and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off."

Friendly first! A true friend is friendly first, rather then waiting for others to approach him first.
Proverbs 18: 24 "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother."

Friendly giving! True friendship is given and not bought. You can’t buy true friendship. Give and you may get. Don’t be friendly to get. You can’t make someone your friend.
Proverbs 19:6 "Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts." — but not true friends!

Friendly honest advice! A true friends tells us what they believe is best for us because they care what happens to us.
Proverbs 22:6 "Faithful are the wounds of a friend ; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful."

Proverbs 27: 9 "Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel. 10 Thine own friend , and thy father's friend , forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off."

Other Friendly advice:

WAIT on the right friend. Don’t take the first acquaintance that comes around as your friend.
Pick a friend that you look up to not down to OR the relationship will bring you down.
Pray about the friendship. Ask God how you can be a better friend, not just how that person can meet your needs. Ask Him to give you a friend!
Be honest with your friend. If they don’t like the real you, or the truth, then they’re not the friend for you.
Friendship is not popularity!
Stick up for a friend. Never put them down in front of others!
Be a friend to someone that you feel needs one! They are often the most greatful!
Obey your parent’s discernment about friends. If they say to stay away from a certain person, obey them!
Marry a friend!

October 14, 2000

This lesson was featured in The Bible View #258.