Today’s Devotion
Topic: The Friend To Keep
Text: Proverbs 27: 9
Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice. Amen
Generally speaking, a friend is a person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically one exclusive of sexual or family relations. They are often people you will comfortably share your interests with and vice versa.
Interestingly, we don’t always get the chance to choose who our friends will be. We just grow up encircled by many neighbours, class mates, church ‘mates’, co-workers and friends of other family members who come around. Before we know, some sort of aquintance has been established with some of these people.
Any of these friends can be nice and great for mutual benefit. They may also hurt us consciously or unconsciously. Sometimes we do the same to them and more. They may change from being friendly with us and we may also change from being the dependable they have always known.
Sometimes, we lose interest in the friendship and go on to look for other friends elsewhere, or other times we rather lose contact with them either for a while or forever. With the possibility of all the above happening to each one of us in a life time, the one thing many of us have always desired is the criteria, if any, to guide us know who to keep as a friend and vice versa.
And the answer is this: much as there are no hard and fast rules that can guide one into some perfect mutual friendship with others, a few nuggets of wisdom always help guard our lives from being ruined by so called friends who never were in the first place. King Solomon noted a few down:
I. The heartfelt advice they give. For as “Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.” (Prov. 27: 9)
ii. Your ability to differentiate between a wise person and associate with, than a fool. For “Stone is heavy and sand a burden, but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.” (Prov. 27: 3)
iii. Your ability to cope with their temperament because “anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?” (Prov 27: 4)
iv. Your ability to discern beyond their pretence and ascertain those who truly love you and those who do not. This is because “wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” (Prov 27: 6)
v. Your ability to resist any advice or pressure that should lead to calamity. For the “prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.” (Prov 27: 12)
vi. Last but not the least, the mutual benefit you derive from each other that makes you a better and brighter person each day than you were before. For “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” (Prov 27: 17)
These should guide anyone who truly means well for friends and expects no less in return. Meditate on them and pray for wisdom because many friends have landed many in trouble and even led some astray. Ask for grace to abide by the advice of Proverbs 27. It will guide you to safety even in the multitude of friends.
Meanwhile, there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. His name is JESUS. MAKE HIM YOUR BEST AND CLOSEST FRIEND; YOUR MOST CHERISHED COUNSELLOR AND YOUR ALL IN ALL. HE NEVER FAILS.
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