Proverbs 18:24
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Brothers and Sisters by Blood or in Christ?
When a person has been born again, they have been adopted into the family of God (Eph. 1:5), and these brothers and sisters in Christ are typically closer than our own brothers and sisters by birth. Consider David and Jonathan. They were not natural brothers, but their friendship was extremely close. These two reaffirmed their love as friends where Jonathan said he loved David as he loved himself (1 Sam. 20:17), and their friendship was sworn before one another in the name of the Lord (1 Sam. 20:42). Would you consider yourself that kind of friend? Is that the way you treat your friend? Are you the kind of friend that you would want as a friend? Do you have that one special friend who is like no other? I believe each brother and sister in Christ needs at least one very close, very special friend in their life. Would you be such a friend? I believe to be a friend like that, you must act like that to a friend.
A Brother Loves at all Times
Jesus calls us His friend if we do what He asks (John 15:14). Don’t you think Jonathan would have done anything for David? That’s why Solomon said that a friend loves us at all times, both good and bad, in prosperity and poverty, and in sickness and perfect health. A true brother is born for times of adversity (Prov. 17:17). Are you that kind of friend? Do you have a friend like that? If not, make friends and be a friend like that. The older I get, the more I see the value in friendship. True friends don’t forsake their friends just because of hard times (Prov. 27:10); therefore, don’t ever forsake your friend because you’re going to need them someday.
A Friend Dying for a Friend?
Even though Jesus is God, He called the disciples His friends because He let them know what was going on (John 15:15). There is really no greater friend than one who would be willing to lay down their life for their friend (John 15:13), and that is just what Jesus did. David would have been willing to die for Jonathan, just as Jonathan would have died for David if necessary. It’s extremely rare for someone to die for a righteous person (Rom. 5:7), but Christ died for us while we were still wicked sinners (Rom. 5:10) and enemies of God (Rom. 5:8). Isn’t that the greatest love of all? Would you die for a friend? How do you treat your friends? Are you the kind of friend that would die for your friend? Are you the type of friend to someone that you would want as a friend?
A Closing Prayer
Father God, oh Glorious One, thank You for dying for me, Your natural enemy who deserved Your wrath. But Your love was displayed on the cross (John 3:16), and I thank You and praise You. In the precious name of the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ, I pray.
Amen
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