HOW MANY FRIENDS DO YOU HAVE, DO YOU NEED THEM ALL? Let’s consider some scriptures on friendship Proverbs 18:24 A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 12:26 A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. Proverbs 27: 5-6 better is open rebuke than hidden love. 6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. John 15: 12-13 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater loves has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends. There are many ways we can understand who a friend is; but we shall share our own view of who a friend is. A friend is that person whose interest in you is to see you a happy person all the time. Why? Because his/her wishes towards you are always for good not for bad; such a one is in no way a competitor against you on any thing. This to me is the best example; two people applying for the same job requiring only one person because they feel that should one of them take the other will automatically celebrate. The scriptures we have just quoted give some characteristics of a friend. A friend is not jus a companion, is more than that, that is why I pity people who introduce their spouses as companions; in other words they are simply getting along as long as it lasts. No big deal if to fails!! One must be cautious in selecting and nurturing friend. It is an expensive venture that you cannot afford to have many. Why? Because they need a lot of time to nurture, resources to facilitate and secrets to share. A friend does take second thought of the consequences of helping out. By the time this level is arrived at, they know each other so well that one no longer considers it risky to help out!! Be careful people who call you friends yet their have not invested their time, resources, and good advise in you. These are simply people you know!! You can help them out sometimes because of the virtue of benevolence/compassion. An example; the Linda and Gates Foundation helps fund a lot of projects in the world for the under privileged. Does this make them our friend, certainly not!! They are fulfilling social responsibility and human ethic. It is simply a good thing to do as human beings!! A friend is beyond that!! A reverend once told me if you do not have a name of a person you can call at any time in the night or day to your rescue without a second thought, you can be sure you have no friend. A friend sacrifices as much as no body else will. Jesus had twelve Disciples and in the inner circle of three (Peter James and John) and one confidant called Peter. One of the twelve betrayed Him. Why do think you can have so many? The extent to which you are wiling to sacrifice to others determines the quality of people you surround your self with, among those you sacrifice to help, how many help back when you’re in need, how many advice you with sincerity even if the advice is painful to you? How many rebuke you? How many share their feelings with you, how many look to you for advice? If your responses in most of these are positive, then you have a friend. A person who surrounds oneself with such will never be lonely, shall not consider suicide and shall enjoy a good relationship even in marriage. Have a blessed week Noah and Stella Obokello.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Jul 2013 07:38:37 +0000
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