.....::::: GOOD FRIENDS ARE SAFER THAN BEING ALONE :::::.....

In one of our previous posts, in our early beginnings, we spoke about “friends” and what a good friend should be like. Let’s revisit that again shall we?

A friend is a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond or mutual affection. A person who acts as a supporter of a cause. A person who is not an enemy or who is on the same side.

The words that should stick out in that definition are “supporter” and “who is on the same side”. They may seem one in the same at first and though it is true, it brings us to the essence of this blog post.

I do a lot of reading in my spare time and by God’s grace, I fell on one of my favorite books of all time by Mark Atteberry called “ The Samson Syndrome: What You Can Learn From The Baddest Boy In The Bible”. It is an amazing read! Moving on…

Throughout the book, it sheds light on Samson and his weaknesses even though he was technically the strongest man to ever live. But in chapter seven, something got my attention. The author began talking about when we repeatedly make the same mistakes. So he offers a solution to this problem.

“Once you begin to solve the mystery of why you keep repeating the same mistakes, it’s time to start thinking about how to stop.” - Mark Atteberry

This is why I wanted us to revisit what a friend is. The author suggests that we find a friend who will hold us accountable.

For example, Samson, whom the book is about, throughout his story, we never see him with a friend. That is why he continually made the same mistakes over and over again. Why is that? Here are a few examples of some of the Bible’s dynamic duos or factions.

- Lot had Abraham
- Moses had Aaron
- Caleb had Joshua
- David had Jonathan
- Paul had Barnabas and Silas

But in the end, Samson didn’t have anybody. There is a study that shows that 85% of the violent crime victims in America are alone when they are attacked. Bad guys are successful when their targets are isolated. In the Bible, it says that Satan prowls around looking for some victim to devour.

"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." - Apostle Peter (1 Peter 5:8)

I don’t know if you paid attention to that last part but it said “victim” and not “victims” with an “s”. Singular, not plural. That’s how Satan works. Ever notice how 90% of the time, when we fall to temptation, we usually are alone? He loves to pick on someone who is alone.

But what can we do to stop this from happening over and over again? Find a friend. Not just any friend though. Do not be fooled, not everyone is your friend. If they lead you to sin, rather than help you stay away from it, run like Usain Bolt away from this person! Pray for them of course but your spiritual well being is way more important than your friendship with that person!

To conclude, find someone you can trust. Not a “yes man,” but someone who cares enough about you to tell you the truth, even if it hurts. Find someone who will point out your blind spots. Find someone who will get in your face if necessary to keep you from doing something self-destructive. Of course God is your friend and wants what is best for you but find someone like a Jonathan who will be there for you regardless. Not telling you what you want to hear but what you need to hear! Stay blessed and I hope this helps someone. Have a marvelous day and don’t forget to spread for Christ!

"Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses."

"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." - Solomon (Proverbs 27:6 and 17)

(Devotions/ Devotionals)

.....::::: TELL ME WHO YOUR FRIENDS ARE... :::::.....

A friend is someone who acts as a supporter of a cause. A person who is not an enemy or who is on the same side. A person whom one knows and with whom has a bond of mutual affection. But most of all, a friend is someone who listens, helps, encourages in making the right decisions and gives. But sadly, this isn’t always the case. We tend to be influenced by the “wolves in sheep’s clothing”, also known as fake friends. People tend to become like those with whom they spend a lot of time. Even the negative characteristics and habits sometimes rub off. The Bible exhorts us to be cautious in our choice of companions. Choose people with qualities you would like to develop in your own life.

A person that you call friend should have most, if not all of the following qualities:

1. The person should not be judgmental. Regardless of what you do, he or she will not think any less of you. You can turn to this person with anything because they understand that at your core you are a good person.

2. They have to have good morals. ( 1 Corinthians 15:33)

3. They are modest. (1 Timothy 2:9)

4. They abstain from living life like they did in the past before coming to Christ. (1 Peter 4:3)

5. They control their tongues. (James 1:26)

6. They are honest. (Luke 8:15)

7. They are law-abiding. (Romans 13:1-7)

The friends we surround ourselves with determine who we become. Whether that be positive or negative. They either support us in making wise decisions, or lead us down a path of bad choices. I pray that you choose to surround yourself with friends who make wise choices. Find a friend like Jonathan was to David, one who encourages you to seek God's wisdom.

The decisions we make define the person we become. So in our day-to-day moments, we must constantly look to God. He gives us His wisdom for a purpose--so that we may live the life He intended for us.

We must pray and remain connected with Him so that when it comes time to decide, we choose the right path. And in choosing the right path, we choose to be defined by God's wisdom. That means that in everything we do, even in choosing friendships, God must be our reference.

In the end, it is good to have friends. But it is better to have one friend who will help us stay on the right path with God, rather than many would could cause us to lose our souls. A friend who respects God and everything that is spiritual is highly recommended. This does not mean that you cannot befriend someone who doesn’t follow these qualities. Jesus hung out with the worst of the worst, by societies standards but He was not influenced. He was the one doing the influencing. Keep that in mind and have a marvelous day! Stay blessed and in faith! If you are looking for a friend with these qualities, I know a guy named Jesus that really lives up to these standards without a hick!

Proverbs 22:24-25 "Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared."

(Devotions/ Devotionals)