What Is A Friend?

Good morning, church family! Today, we're going to talk about a topic that hits close to home for all of us – friendship. We all know the saying, "You are the company you keep," and the Bible has a lot to say about the importance of choosing our friends wisely. Our focus today will be on the value of a real friend, the characteristics of a fake friend, and the wisdom of knowing the difference.

[Title: What is a Friend]

Some may be saying: does it really matter what kind of friends I have, if I know how they operate? Yes, it does matter, because most people go by the following way of thinking when they assess your character.

If you are attempting to assess the character of an individual, you can do it indirectly by identifying his or her friends and assessing their proclivities. Here are three versions of a pertinent saying:

• Show me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you who you are.

• Tell me the company you keep, and I’ll tell you who you are.

• By the company you keep I can tell what life you lead.

C.S. Lewis once said, "Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art...It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival."

What he is saying is this: the types of friends you have are very important because your life can turn based on what kind of relationship it is.

So, to help us along this journey of evaluating our current and future friendships, we’ll look at several passages from Proverbs and one from Jeremiah to highlight the importance of true friendship and the dangers of false friendships.

Let's start by looking at our key Scripture passages for today:

He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed. Evil pursues sinners, But to the righteous, good shall be repaid.

Proverbs 13:20-21

As we dive into these Scriptures, let's open our hearts and minds to the wisdom that God wants to impart to us about friendship. Please join me in prayer:

Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of friendship and for the true friends You have placed in our lives. Please guide us as we study Your Word today and learn how to discern real friends from fake ones. Grant us wisdom, Lord, to make wise choices in our relationships and to invest in friendships that honor You. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

The Value of a Real Friend

In a world where most relationships are superficial and fleeting, a true friend is a treasure to be cherished. Real friendships are built on trust, loyalty, and a shared commitment to one another's well-being. They are the people who stand by us through thick and thin, who encourage us when we are down, and who celebrate with us when we succeed. The Bible is full of examples of the importance of true friendship, and as we explore this idea, we will see that the value of a real friend is immeasurable.

A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 17:17

A real friend provides support and encouragement. A true friend is there for us in both good times and bad. They are the ones who lift us up when we are feeling down and who offer a listening ear when we need to talk. They are also the ones who celebrate our victories and share in our joys. In this way, a real friend is a source of strength and encouragement that can help us navigate the ups and downs of life.

Berlin -- Jesse Owens seemed sure to win the long jump at the 1936 games. The year before he had jumped 26 feet, 8 1/4 inches -- a record that would stand for 25 years. As he walked to the long-jump pit, however, Owens saw a tall, blue eyed, blond German taking practice jumps in the 26-foot range. Owens felt nervous. He was acutely aware of the Nazis' desire to prove "Aryan superiority," especially over blacks. At this point, the tall German introduced himself as Luz Long. "You should be able to qualify with your eyes closed!" he said to Owens, referring to his two jumps. For the next few moments, the black son of a sharecropper and the white model of Nazi manhood chatted. Then Long suggested, since the qualifying distance was only 23 feet, 5 1/2 inches, why not make a mark several inches before the takeoff board and jump from there, just to play it safe? Owens did and qualified easily. In the finals Owens set an Olympic record and earned the second of four golds. The first person to congratulate him was Luz Long -- in full view of Adolf Hitler. Owens never again saw Long, who was killed in World War II. "You could melt down all the medals and cups I have," Owens later wrote, "and they wouldn't be a platting on the 24-carat friendship I felt for Luz Long."