Christian Living - Friendship

Teenage Christian Living - Friendship

True friendship is a wonderful thing. In fact, when a person has a true friend, it has led some to say that it is "worth its weight in gold." True friends do not come easily. How many of us can say that, of the friends we have,  we know they will be there with us through "thick and thin?" Proverbs 18:24 says, "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (ESV). Do we have those kinds of friends in our lives ? Do we know if we can count on the "friends" we have? Do we have true friends that we can grow close to Christ with?

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says, "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. ¹⁰ For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! ¹¹ Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? ¹² And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken."

Matthew Henry's commentary helps to clarify these verses on "friendship," and more importantly, Christian fellowship and friendship. He states,  "Surely he has more satisfaction in life, who labours hard to maintain those he loves, than the miser has in his toil. In all things union tends to success and safety, but above all, the union of Christians. They assist each other by encouragement, or friendly reproof. They warm each other's hearts while they converse together of the love of Christ, or join in singing his praises. Then let us improve our opportunities of Christian fellowship. In these things all is not vanity, though there will be some alloy as long as we are under the sun. Where two are closely joined in holy love and fellowship, Christ will by his Spirit come to them; then there is a threefold cord."

One of the greatest gifts we can have in this life are friends who will encourage us in our relationship with Christ. We don't need more friends who will pull us away from God, but we need friends who love God and want to help others grow in Him.

We ask the question again, "Do we have people in our lives who are true friends, and who care about our relationship with Christ?"

Are we being that kind of friend to someone else? Who in our lives needs a friend like that?

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