True Friendship – 2 Points and 4 Characteristics

We continue through our study of David’s failures and triumphs with his friendship with King Saul’s son, Jonathan. The Scripture for this week is 1 Samuel, chapters 18 through 20.

Pastor Justin began by asking about our friendships and relating some stories about how even with social media so readily available, studies show that we are the loneliest we have ever been. Does that surprise you? It shouldn’t. How many of us sit at our dinner tables with a phone in our hand? Or how many kids connect on their latest phone or other means of communication via today’s technology rather than in person? We’ve lost that personal touch. And we all need that!

David and Jonathan had a true friendship. They had one another’s back. Jonathan even stood up to his father, Saul, for David. Now, if you’ve been reading the Bible verses, chapter by chapter, you know that Saul wasn’t anyone you’d particularly want to cross. Even if he was your father. It took a lot of courage.

Justin pointed to two main thoughts.

GOD CREATED US FOR FRIENDSHIP

This goes back to Genesis when God saw that it wasn’t good for Adam to be alone. Thus, he created a helper for him, the woman we all know as Eve. Justin said friendship is part of the very essence of God. It is in our DNA. The way God created us. That’s a good starting place for understanding how important friendship` is.

FRIENDS ENCOURAGE US

Do you have a friend you know you can count on? One who will be there through thick and thin? We all need a friend or two like that.

Too many of us have what are called fair weather friends. As long as things are easygoing, or non-confrontational, they are there for us. As soon as the slightest thing happens, real or imagined, they are gone. I’ve had a couple of friends like that in my life. I try not to be that person, but to rise above any disagreements or circumstances. It isn’t easy, and we may not be able to do it in the natural, but with God, all things are possible. Proverbs 17:17a (ESV) says—A friend loves at all times.

True Friendship - 2 Points and 4 Charactersitics @DDuPreeWilliams #faith #friendship Share on X

SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF A TRUE FRIEND

Justin gave us four characteristics of a true friend: They are selfless, honest, likeable, and they/we love one another.

Selfless means not what you can take from that friend, but what you can give to them. Putting others ahead of self. All of us need encouragement and prayer. Life is just too hard without someone there to build us up and to pray for us. Are you that person in someone’s life? Do you know someone who may need you to be? Pray about that. God will lead you.

An honest friend will tell us the truth about ourselves. We can allow a true friend to see us as we really are without having to put on airs. My husband and I are fond of saying, warts and all. Justin went so far as to say when we close others out of our lives, it allows sin to creep in. Those secrets we don’t want others to know about cause us to shut people out of our lives. But, that one friend, especially one’s spouse, could be the one to pull you out of that pit if you are just honest with them. Don’t be afraid to share with a true friend the darkest parts of yourself. A true friend will pray with you and encourage you and sit you down and help you make a plan for going forward. That friend could change your eternity.

Well, now, we all want people in our lives that are likeable. What if you encounter someone that just isn’t likeable? We’ve all met that person, too. Maybe they just need someone like you to enter their lives to turn that heart of stone into a heart of flesh. Maybe it’s beyond you, but you can pray and ask God to intercede. Remember, he has the power to harden or to soften hearts.

A true friendship will be covered in love. Just like the friendship of David and Jonathan. In John 15:13 (ESV) Jesus said this—Greater love hath no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. Friends, that is exactly what Jesus did for you and for me. He laid down His life because He loved us so much. He is the best friend you could ever ask for.

Do you call Jesus friend? If you do not, go and read the entire Gospel of John. It will introduce you to the best friend you will ever have. You will get to know Him intimately and form a friendship that will last through all eternity. Then, go read the book of Romans. It tells you how to live life as a Jesus Follower. You will never regret that decision. It’s for all eternity.

Blessings, y’all!

 

Y’all know how I love Larry Ford. My sweet niece, Melanie Geenen, has sung with him before. She’s terrific, y’all!!