WHY ARE YOU A FRIEND?
“ A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”— Prov. 18:24
I recently noticed a question that caught my attention– “Why are you friends with your friends?” I suspect that’s something most people have never really thought about. If they did some would discover that they have the wrong motive. They make friends for what they can get rather than what they can give. They seek a benefit rather than being a blessing. True friendship can be costly–“ Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13).
Friends are wonderful and needed by all, but to have friends we must show ourselves friendly (Prov. 18:24). You can’t keep your head in the clouds and others at arms length and expect people to chase you down. To have friends we must be a friend. However, having a friend isn’t the most important thing– if the relationship is all about what others can do for you. Motive matters! We should desire and develop friendships so as to minister to others, not to be ministered to. And when we give what we would like to get we gain what we desire.
Just as we love the Lord because He first loved us, others will love us when we love them first. To do that we should need no other motivation than the Lord’s concern for us and His command to us– “… that ye love one another.” (John 15:17).–HDS
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346
