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Friends... good ones :)

My 9 month old draft needed beefing up, so I'm going to do a 7 month old one. :)  It's not an essay per se, but it does have some of my thoughts in writing.

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I'm not talking about friends you "friend" on Facebook or follow on Google Buzz and Twitter or the many friends you never talk to on Skype or whatever social media I am not aware of.  I mean real friends.

Here, read this:
Proverbs 18:24 NASB 
A man of too many friends comes to ruin, 
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

It's there, all too clearly: too many friends, and you will come to ruin.

It sounds awfully harsh, doesn't it?

It makes sense, though.  Especially in public schools and other social groups.  The popular and preppy "peeps" who seemingly have innumerable friends, are probably dying of loneliness inside.  Yes, it's a dangerous generalization I just made, so not all them, but a good many of them.  I used to be friends with one, and now I realize why she talked to me so much about things I had no

Or perhaps, they may not suffer from loneliness, but their spirits and minds are not being built up by the interaction with "friends".  And it's my belief, when you're not being built up, you are being torn down.  You can't really stall in your growth in Christ, assuming you have a relationship with Him the first place.

And look, please, don't think I'm trying to judge you for having a lot of friends.  Friendship is a gift from God. Humans are meant to interact, socialize, and fellowship.

BUT I am, however, warning  myself and whoever may be reading this be careful who you befriend.
Proverbs 12:26a 
The righteous choose their friends carefully,
Find ones that follow Proverbs 17:17a, i.e. love at all times.  Find people who will stick closer than a brother. And we know brothers are born for hard times [Proverbs 17:17b].  So, the friends we choose, should stick around in both good and bad times.  Do your friends do that?

Then turn it around.

Are you such a friend?

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Thoughts?

~CJ

Comments

  1. I like this because sometimes I wish for many many friends, and this helped me to realize that one is just as good :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I feel like that too. I'm introverted, but I like being with people, too. Sometimes, it may take having a lot of "acquaintances" to find that one or few true friends, but they are worth it. :)

    ReplyDelete

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