CHARACTERISTICS OF TRUE FRIENDS
Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor.
Proverbs 18:24 A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
While studying Joshua 9 for my last blog, I became interested in what the bible says about friendships. I saw that representatives from a nation came pretending to be someone they weren't with the intent of deceiving Israel into entering into an agreement with them. This got me thinking about friendships so I looked up some of the characteristics of true friendships. I've listed just a few below and hope you enjoy the read!
- True friends don't turn you away from God!
Deuteronomy 13:6
If your brother, the son of your mother, your son or your daughter, the wife of your bosom, or your friend who is as your own soul, secretly entices you, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ which you have not known, neither you nor your fathers, 7 of the gods of the people which are all around you, near to you or far off from you, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth, 8you shall not consent to him or listen to him.
- True friends are not greedy! They gladly share!
Now when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of
Remember, the friends David shared with were those too tired to pursue but they had been with him all along. Some of the men wanted to keep all the rewards for themselves but David was faithful. They were friends and they were not forgotten or cut out of the deal!
- True friends speak face to face and are not pretenders. What you see is what you get!!
Exodus 33:11
So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.
So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.
- True friends will tell you the truth, even if it hurts. Their truthfulness has a healing effect!
Proverbs 27:6
Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
- True friends don't abandon you in hard times. On the contrary they comfort you.
Job 2:11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him.
- True friends are your friends when you have money and when you don't!
Proverbs 14:20
The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor, But the rich has many friends.
The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor, But the rich has many friends.
Proverbs 19:4
Wealth makes many friends, But the poor is separated from his friend.
Wealth makes many friends, But the poor is separated from his friend.
Proverbs 19:6
Many entreat the favor of the nobility, And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts.
Many entreat the favor of the nobility, And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts.
Proverbs 19:7
All the brothers of the poor hate him; How much more do his friends go far from him! He may pursue them with words, yet they abandon him.
All the brothers of the poor hate him; How much more do his friends go far from him! He may pursue them with words, yet they abandon him.
- True friends show kindness when you're down and out!
Job 6:14
“To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend, even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
“To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend, even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
- True friends do not undermine one another! Undermine- meaning to deal secretly by removing support or to secretly attack with the intent of deceiving or seeming harmless with actions bringing devastating results. True friends do not do this!
Job 6:27
Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless, And you undermine your friend.
Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless, And you undermine your friend.
- True friends rejoice with you!
Luke 15:6
And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’
And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’
- True friends don't mock and scorn.
Job 12:4
“I am one mocked by his friends, who called on God, and He answered him, The just and blameless who is ridiculed.
“I am one mocked by his friends, who called on God, and He answered him, The just and blameless who is ridiculed.
Job 16:20
My friends scorn me;My eyes pour out tears to God.
My friends scorn me;My eyes pour out tears to God.
- True friends don't only flatter.
Job 17:5
He who speaks flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children will fail.
He who speaks flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children will fail.
- True friends don't forget you!
Job 19:14
My relatives have failed, And my close friends have forgotten me.
My relatives have failed, And my close friends have forgotten me.
- True friends don't turn against you when you don't have money. Maybe like Job you had money and it seemed everyone was your friend but when they hard times came, they were nowhere to be found.
Job 19:19
All my close friends abhor me, And those whom I love have turned against me.
All my close friends abhor me, And those whom I love have turned against me.
- True friends pray for their friends. They also forgive friends that have wronged them. God's favor is upon those that forgive and pray for friends.
Job 42:10
And the LORD restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
And the LORD restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
- True friends don't gossip about each other!
Psalm 15:3
He who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor does he take up a reproach against his friend.
He who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor does he take up a reproach against his friend.
- Gossip separates friends! True friends don't do it!
Proverbs 16:28
A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends.
A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends.
Proverbs 17:9
He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates friends.
He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates friends.
- True friends do not betray! Remember Judas, the betrayer!
Psalm 41:9
Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me.
Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me.
- True friends love no matter what. They're there through thick and think. They walk through adversity with you! Adversity will reveal who is a true friend and who is a self-seeker!
Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.
A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.
- True friends are friendly! If someone's not friendly, they either aren't your friend or they still have a lot to learn about relationships! Jesus is your best friend and when it seems you have no friends, there is a friend that sticks close by!
I hope you've enjoyed this post! Just studying these passages alone makes me want to be a better friend. I hope it's done the same for you!
*All scripture references taken from: http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/index.php?search=friend&version1=NKJV&searchtype=all&limit=none&wholewordsonly=no&startnumber=26&startnumber=51&startnumber=76
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