Godly Friendships Are Truly A Blessing!

"Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts, nor measure words, but to pour them all out just as they are, chaff and grain together knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then, with the breath of kindness blow the rest away."   -George Eliot, quoted in Today in the Word, July, 1989, p. 28

Knowing how to choose friends is one of most important skills you’ll ever develop. Friends help shape your life because of their strong influence; therefore it is important to choose the right friends. In the Word of God, He shows us how to select friend to be part of our life. Who we hang with is who we become. We need to use Godly wisdom in our relationships. Choosing good friends can be a blessing or a cursing to our lives. Let's look to the Word and see what God has to say about choosing Godly friend.

First, we must examine our relationships. After all, choosing good friendships is essential to our well-being. A good friend knows how to empower you for success. The wrong friend can be a curse. Proverbs 12:26 tells us that, "the righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray." We must cut off any relationships that aren't productive.Those who walk in opposition to God’s Word can cause you to go astray, keep your distance from these people.

Secondly, don’t be unequally yoked (associated) with any person, Christian or non-Christian that lives opposed to the Word. The Bible says that evil company corrupts good character (1 Corinthians 15:33). If you want to live right, you will have to keep the right company. You are known by the company you keep. Proverbs 13:20 reminds us that, "He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed."

We need to guard our time with people; we can't be everyone’s friend. And, we must be loyal to the Word of God. Look at it this way, we can choose God or the world’s way of doing things. One brings blessing, one brings great pain and sorrow. The Bible tells us to separate ourselves from unbelievers. A friendship with the world hinders your relationship with the Heavenly Father.

You need relationships that enhance your relationship with God. Don’t just accept anyone into your life because you are lonely. And, don’t form friendships with people that stand against everything you believe (God, church, morals, etc). Remember, you cannot be friends with the world and God! (James 4:4)

Third, there are three levels of friendship. The Bible supports relationships because two are stronger than one (Ecclesiastes 4:9). It might be easier to think of the different levels of friendship/relationship as being similar in design to the tabernacle of old. The tabernacle design consisted of the outer court, inner court & the holy of holies (behind the veil). Please allow me to clarify these for you below:

i) Outer court: represents a casual relationship; 

ii) Inner court: represents a close relationship and ;

iii) Holy of holies: represents an intimate relationship - vulnerable to one another 

The Holy of holies relationships are for a select few people. A person should earn the right to have this relationship with you. Determine what friends should be in your outer court, inner court and holy of holies. Don’t allow someone that is an outer court friend into your inner court or holy of holies that have not show you the qualities of Christ (like minded, trustworthy). Be patient enough to see if a person is willing to prove him or herself to be faithful. Remember this: Friend is a covenant word. Abraham was God’s friend. Are you a friend of God? (James 2:23)

And finally, beware of those that call themselves Christians but who are really immoral people. In fact, simply remove yourself from people who are rebellious. Don’t hang with people who constantly sin and are not committed to changing their behavior, it's just not worth it. Stick with people who are committed to pursuing Godliness. Depart from people who refuse to repent.

In review, God desires that you fellowship with like-minded people, those that will encourage you in your walk with Jesus Christ. Who you hang with is who you become. Examine your relationships this morning. Are the people you call a friend a blessing or a curse? Godly friendships will stand the test of time. These people are the ones in the inner court or the holy of holies. 

Always remember, you are known by the company you keep. Therefore, we must make good decisions as it relates to friends; we can’t have the world and God. We must choose one! Jesus desires to have a relationship with you today. Do you know Him? Are you a friend of God?

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:14; Romans 12:2; Matthew 10:14; 1 John 1:7; 1 Peter 2:15-16; Proverbs 27:9; Exodus 34:12; Romans 1:24; 2 Timothy 3:1-3; Luke 12:2

Prayer: You have blessed us, O God, with the gift of friendship, the bonding of persons in a circle of love. We thank you for such a blessing: for friends who love us, who share our sorrows, who laugh with us in celebration, who bear our pain, who need us as we need them, who weep as we weep, who hold us when words fail, and who give us the freedom to be ourselves. Bless our friends with health, wholeness, life, and love. Amen.

-thanks to Jeff Budzinski

Have a blessed day!

Elise