Friend or Acquaintance
Scripture declares in Proverbs 17:17, “A friend loveth at all times.”
Now, love properly defined does not mean everything we find our friend doing or saying is acceptable and we totally agree with. Sometimes our friendships need to be seasoned with “reprove, rebuke, [and] exhort[ing] with all long suffering and doctrine.”
Honestly, how shallow are most of our so-called friendships, to be honest, whether they be with Christian or non-Christian persons? Do we honestly love them, or do we simply enjoy the prestige or the things that may come from knowing them? Or do we happen to merely hang around them so that we may feel that we are “in the click?”
How often do we use the word “friend” and how often do we honestly mean it?
Are we quick to forget, gossip about, or turn our backs on certain persons that we claim are our friends, as soon as we find another more interesting one? What about if they embarrass us for one reason or another, or hurt us (even by mistake), or others come forth to pull us from them?
Proverbs 18:24 declares, “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”
Do we show ourselves to be “friendly?” Do we stick “closer than a brother” to those we ourselves claim are our friends? If not, then why do we even use such terminology, merely deceiving ourselves and the persons we declare it to? Why not simply denote that all are merely acquaintances that may come and go with the wind, but shall not remain as faithful friends that we shall “loveth at all times?”
Can we share our deepest sorrows and greatest joys? Can we trust that our words, our fears, or concerns are honestly considered and kept secret from the world around us? Is there a faithfulness to one another that goes without saying? Do others find a haven of rest in knowing we care for their physical, emotional, and spiritual well being and desire only the best for them?
What of the times we see them falter or fall from what we believe is right? What of the days that go by where we feel awkward to confront them with such thoughts of encouragement and constructive criticism with only charity in our thoughts? Do we find such in those we cherish as so-called friends? Do any remain at our darkest hour?
Do you truly have any friends or merely acquaintances?
Are you truly a friend or merely an acquaintance?
Do you have a true friend, one who has stuck by you, through many things in your life? Have you told them how much it matters to you? Maybe you should.
Now, love properly defined does not mean everything we find our friend doing or saying is acceptable and we totally agree with. Sometimes our friendships need to be seasoned with “reprove, rebuke, [and] exhort[ing] with all long suffering and doctrine.”
Honestly, how shallow are most of our so-called friendships, to be honest, whether they be with Christian or non-Christian persons? Do we honestly love them, or do we simply enjoy the prestige or the things that may come from knowing them? Or do we happen to merely hang around them so that we may feel that we are “in the click?”
How often do we use the word “friend” and how often do we honestly mean it?
Are we quick to forget, gossip about, or turn our backs on certain persons that we claim are our friends, as soon as we find another more interesting one? What about if they embarrass us for one reason or another, or hurt us (even by mistake), or others come forth to pull us from them?
Proverbs 18:24 declares, “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”
Do we show ourselves to be “friendly?” Do we stick “closer than a brother” to those we ourselves claim are our friends? If not, then why do we even use such terminology, merely deceiving ourselves and the persons we declare it to? Why not simply denote that all are merely acquaintances that may come and go with the wind, but shall not remain as faithful friends that we shall “loveth at all times?”
Can we share our deepest sorrows and greatest joys? Can we trust that our words, our fears, or concerns are honestly considered and kept secret from the world around us? Is there a faithfulness to one another that goes without saying? Do others find a haven of rest in knowing we care for their physical, emotional, and spiritual well being and desire only the best for them?
What of the times we see them falter or fall from what we believe is right? What of the days that go by where we feel awkward to confront them with such thoughts of encouragement and constructive criticism with only charity in our thoughts? Do we find such in those we cherish as so-called friends? Do any remain at our darkest hour?
Do you truly have any friends or merely acquaintances?
Are you truly a friend or merely an acquaintance?
Do you have a true friend, one who has stuck by you, through many things in your life? Have you told them how much it matters to you? Maybe you should.
2 comments:
Great post.
Wonderful blog.
I am looking forward to reading more of it often.
I added you to my favorites.
I hope you had a great earth day brother!
In Him,
Kinney Mabry
Thanks for the visit Kinney, I hope to get back started writing more here again soon. I'll take a visit to your blog also.
Tim
Post a Comment