Bible Reading: Proverbs 18
Key Verse: Verse 24 - “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”
Key Words: A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly
In a book by Henry Durbanville, the author underscored the importance of friends as a means of overcoming the dreaded enemy of loneliness. He included the following excellent quotes that are worthy of repeating. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature.” A small boy defined a friend as “someone who knows all about you and likes you just the same.” And an old Arab saying goes like this: “A friend is one to whom we may pour out all the contents of our hearts, chaff and grain together, knowing tht the gentlest of hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping , and with the breath of kindness blow the rest away.” Durbanville himself made this observation: “A friend is the first person to come in when the whole world goes out.”
Solomon wrote in Proverbs 17:17, “A friend loveth at all times.” We can’t improve on that definition. To have someone who remains true to us under all circumstances, is indeed one of life’s choicest blessings. The support and encouragement that only an intimate personal friend can offer is sorely needed when the burdens and pressures of life weigh heavily upon us. But today’s Scripture makes a very important point. It says that “A man who hath friends must show himself friendly.” The implication is clear, friendliness must begin with us. We must take the initiative in developing relationships with others.
Let us be to others what we desire for ourselves. When it comes to friends, to have one you must be one!
What to do:
✞ There is an old saying that goes like this: “I went out to find a friend and could not find one anywhere; but when I went out to be a friend, I found friends everywhere.”
✞ You want a friend? Be one first.
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