Different Kinds of Friends

I am very sure that you have had all kinds of friends and they may be described in this study.  I know I have had many different kinds of friends and some are still my friends today, even though we don't communicate, if we did it would be like old times.  In first Samuel 18 it tells how close David and Jonathan were and that's how it should be with us.

Proverbs 18:24  "A man who has friends must himself be friendly.  But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

2 Corinthians 2:12,13  "Furthermore when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord.  I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them I departed for Macedonia."  Evidently Paul and Titus were close like brothers and when he wasn't there Paul had no rest in his spirit.  What a beautiful friendship they must have had.  I guess you would call it an ardent friendship.

Then there are friendships that are not so good.

Matthew 26:48-50  "Now His betrayer had given them a sign saying 'whomsoever I kiss, He is the One seize Him.  Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, Greetings, Rabbi' and kissed Him.  But Jesus said to him, 'Friend, why have you come?"  Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him."  I would call that a treacherous friend, wouldn't you?

Deuteronomy 13:6-9  it tells about trying to get your family or your friend to go and serve false gods.  That would be a dangerous friend, don't you think?

Job 19:14-19  Job tells how all his family and friends have turned against him in his affliction and abhor him.  Talk about unfaithful friends.  Job had it all. No one wanted anything to do with him and even his wife told him to curse God and die.  That's why we hear the phrase, 'the patience of Job'.  He must have been a very patient man and when it was all over and he proved his faithfulness to God, God blessed his latter days more than his former and he was a rich man to begin with so he was blessed abundantly because of his faithfulness.  But his friends turned out to be unfaithful friends.

I guess we need to be careful of what kind of friends we pick because there are all kinds and we want to be sure they are faithful and true and if we are faithful and true, God will help us pick our friends carefully.  We don't want to be led astray from God by unfaithful friends who don't like what we believe or like the way we live our life.  Let's be very careful who we associate with as bosom friends.  We need to show ourselves friendly to everyone and even help strangers as we have learned but be careful when choosing close friends with whom we confide in.  Grandma Joan