Biblical Friendship
- A faithful friend is the medicine of life; and
they that fear the Lord shall find him. -- Ecclesiastes 6:16
Recently I heard the word Biblical Friendship and
it got me thinking...
I have several friends, some of whom I call as
"hi-bye" friends, casual friends, common-interest friends, mutual
friends and a few life-long true friends. While I looked back at my
relationship with them, I began to realize certain qualities within these
friends that attracted me to them and kept me close to them. While on the subject,
I began to scan the Bible to see what Biblical friendship meant and what does
it mean by being a friend, and this is what I found. (All passages are from the
NIV).
A friend is one who--
1. Sympathizes and comforts -- Job
2:11 {When Job's three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and
Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him,
they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and
sympathize with him and comfort him.} Share your joys and sorrows with your
friends. If they are in sorrow, do not abandon them, spend time with them and
comfort them.
2. Intercedes for his friend --
Job 16:20 {My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God.} A
friend intercedes and prays for his/her friend. Our prayers go a long way in
wiping the tears of our friends. Do not think that your prayer will ever go in
vain. Job 42:10 {After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him
prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before} When you pray for
your friends, God will bless you.
3. Covers the offense of his friend -- Pro
17:9 {He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the
matter separates close friends.} When you love somebody, it is important
that you do not give them up. It is important that you do not tell others their
mistakes. It is also equally important for you to confront your friend
personally if he/she is doing something wrong, but never tell about their
mistakes/sins to others.
4. Love at all times --
Pro 17:17 {A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity}
A friend always loves. I Cor 13:4-8 talks about unconditional love. No matter
what the mistakes or wounds of a friend are, the bible teaches us to love our
friends at all times. (The Bible also teaches us to love our enemies at all
times which is a whole other chapter)
5. Sticks closer than a brother --
Pro 18:24 {A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend
who sticks closer than a brother.} Friends are always there no matter what.
Families may forget or forsake, but the Bible teaches us that we should be
friends who will stick to each other, come what may. The world teaches
friendship as a convenience. If you are rich, and if everything is going well,
then you will have lots of friends in this world. But the one who sticks to his
friend in the time of need is a true friend.
6. Can be trusted-- Pro
27:6 {Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses}
A friend is one who is honest with you no matter what. There are people in this
world who will flatter you and exalt you to make you feel good, but a friend is
one who sees through all that and speaks the truth. Be careful of the
flatterer.
7. Gives earnest counsel --
Pro 27:9 {Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness
of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel.} The counsel of a friend
is so refreshing, that the Bible says it is like perfume and incense. Beware of
those "friends" who counsel you for their own gain.
8. Lifts up -- Ecc: 4:10 {If one falls down,
his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help
him up!} An old and proved saying goes like this, "A friend in need is
a friend indeed." How true that is! We live in a world that uses us for
its own gain and then dumps us when our usefulness is over. Christ did not give
us up when we were dying in sin. He gave his life for us when we needed him and
that is a true friend.
John 15:13 talks about the ULTIMATE FRIENDSHIP. {Greater
love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.} God
so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jesus gave his life for
us that we should not perish. In John 15:14 he says that "You are my
friends if you do what I command." Jesus loves us and he is our friend. He
gave his life for us as a role model of how a friend should be.
